How To Be A Heartbreaker
by serafina67
Summary: When Scarlett Browning, former international pop sensation, is invited to come back to Hollywood and record at Rocque Records, she decides to give the music business another chance. Only downside? She has to work alongside her ex-boyfriend, Logan Mitchell, of Big Time Rush. Sequel to Scarlett Fever.
1. Chapter 1: Offer Of a Lifetime

**A/N: Hurrah! We finally finished up Scarlett Fever. I owe it all to you guys with your reviews and fabulous ideas. Thanks you also to my expert team of colleagues for putting up with me! I finally decided on the title Bombshell. My second choice was Blonde Ambition. *Takes deep breath* …Here goes nothing…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 1: Offer Of a Lifetime**

Scarlett Browning was doing what she did every morning. She woke up (8:00 AM), sent a text to her best friend (Mercedes Griffin), took a quick shower (Irish Spring soap), and headed out of her apartment all before her aunt woke up. She almost never broke this ritual. It was constant, easy, and reliable.

She lived in the Upper East Side in her aunt Nova's apartment instead of in the home she'd grown up in. She only went there a couple times a month, to have tea with the housekeeper or check out the rooftop garden. The size of it overwhelmed her; it was practically a mansion. She'd kind of left it behind, along with the rest of her past.

Scarlett sat down on her stoop and retied the laces on her glittery black Keds. Mercedes has sent them to her, custom-made with a lyric to one of her songs embroidered onto the sides. _Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world_, she'd said. She sprang from the cement steps and joined the hectic crush of Manhattanites rushing down the sidewalk.

She fiddled with the strings on her lightweight backpack and pulled at the hem of her black track shorts as she stopped at the corner, waiting for the light to change before venturing into the street.

_Don't hit me, don't hit me, don't hit me_, she thought as she stepped. Even though she had thought-pleaded, a bright yellow cab came plowing down the street, almost mowing her down. The cab's brakes screeched on the pavement and the driver leaned out the window yelling, "Get out of the freakin' way!"

"Piss off, moron!" she screamed back, scurrying to the other side. _I hate it here_, she thought, even though she loved it. She walked for about a block before getting to the coffee shop on her route. She hurried inside, sighing in joy when she felt the AC hit her. New York could get pretty hot in the summer.

There was only one person in line; the rest of the customers were seated at tables, chatting away with each other and sipping coffee. Scarlett jumped in behind the guy and pulled her Ninja Turtles wallet out of her drawstring bag. It was slightly lame (okay, really lame), but it was special because her mom had owned it.

The guy in front of her was feverishly debating on what drink he should get. Scarlett rolled her eyes and stepped in front of him. "Café macchiato, extra foam. Cream, sugar, two percent milk." She handed the barista her ten dollar bill and he smiled gratefully. "Coming right up, Scarlett," he said. Being a regular had its benefits.

"Dude, I'm right here!" the man in front complained. Scarlett gave him her fakest smile and grabbed her cup from the man behind the counter.

"Then hurry your ass up next time, 'kay?" She took a sip of her coffee, blew a kiss to the man in the nonexistent line, and left the shop. She sealed the sip-top on her cup and started towards Central Park. She suddenly remembered to pull the hood of her cardigan up. She'd forgotten once and someone recognized her, coming up to get an autograph. Most New Yorkers didn't think it was that big a deal to see a celebrity walking their streets, but the rare few went crazy over them. She didn't want to risk it.

She'd been done with Hollywood for almost a whole year, but she still found herself in the tabloids at times. She hated that people still cared.

* * *

Gustavo Rocque and Kelly Wainwright were walking down the sidewalk, trying not to get trampled over by the fast-walking, fast-talking citizens. They stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs in there bright, trendy clothing. Most of the passerby was dressed in various shades of black and gray. Every so often, white.

"Ugh, tourists," a teenage boy muttered. Gustavo glared, shutting him right up. He jammed his fists into the pockets of his tracksuit and continued walking.

"When the HECK are we gonna get there?" Gustavo whined. Kelly rolled her eyes. He'd asked the exact same question just two minutes before. She couldn't blame him, though. It was sweltering. The Big Apple was turning into the Baked Apple.

"The apartment building's right around the corner," Kelly replied. Working with Gustavo could be a hassle at times, but she couldn't deny that she kind of liked it. She got to work with four troublesome yet incredible boys and scope out talent.

Kelly pushed the bar on the front door of the structure, letting Gustavo amble in. She pressed down on the number "6" door bell and there was a buzz.

"Hello?" a high, feminine voice came through the intercom. Gustavo leaned towards the buzzer, clearing his throat excessively.

"Yeah, this is Gustavo Rocque of Rocque Records." Kelly rolled her eyes at her boss. The proud, arrogant way he referred to himself was ridiculous. He wasn't a god or something. "Is this Nova Spade?"

"Can we come up?" Kelly added. There was a long silence on the other end, but breathing could be heard. She was contemplating.

"Uh, sure," she answered. "The door is unlocked." There was a click and the lock was broken. Kelly and Gustavo headed up the stairs to room six. When they arrived, Nova was waiting in the hallway, dressed in Victoria's Secret sweatpants, an oversized v-neck, and bunny slippers that had clearly seen better days. "So...what are you guys doing here?"

"We wanted to speak with Scarlett," Kelly said quickly before Gustavo messed anything up. "Is she here?"

Nova shook her head. "Actually, she just left for her morning jog. She's in Central Park at the moment." Gustavo groaned, throwing his head back dramatically. "You're welcome to stay here until she gets back. I could make some coffee-"

"I'd love to see Central Park," Kelly cut in. "I'd be happy to go there and see her. But there's only one thing I ask." Nova was all ears. "Can we take your car? We were almost cooked alive out there."

Nova laughed, running her palm down the back of her head. "Sure, let's move." Kelly started following Nova down the stairs until she realized Gustavo wasn't moving. "Aren't you coming with Kelly?"

"Were you planning on changing first?" he asked. Nova shook her head, waving her hand dismissively.

"This is Central Park, not church. Come on!"

* * *

Scarlett was running through Central Park, bobbing her head up and down to the beat of the music blasting through her ear buds. It was turned up so high, she couldn't hear herself think. She couldn't hear her shoes slapping on the pavement or her heavy breaths. She was speeding past everybody, weaving between the other joggers.

She thought she heard the singer in the song she was listening to calling her name, but that was ludicrous. Scarlett pulled the buds out of her ears for just a second, slowing down to a slow jog. She noticed that her name was still being called and turned around, confused.

"Oh my God!" Scarlett was surprised (more like shell-shocked) to see her aunt, Gustavo Rocque, and Kelly Wainwright racing towards her. She stood, frozen, as they approached her.

Nova stopped in front of her niece and doubled over, attempting to catch her breath. "Gustavo…Kelly…sing…California…label," she wheezed, coughing. Scarlett's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She averted her eyes from her dying aunt and up at Gustavo and Kelly.

Kelly took Scarlett's appearance in, staring. It looked as if she'd grown practically a foot since she'd last seen her. Her once waist-length corkscrew curls were gone, replaced with a stick straight, a-line bob that cut off near her shoulders. A stray black streak zipped through her almost white hair. Her bangs were cut bluntly above her dark eyebrows. A pair of hip Buddy Holly-esque, horn-rimmed glasses were perched on the bridge of her nose.

She was covered in various tattoos. The ink colored her legs and arms. Kelly was pretty sure the legal age for getting tattoos was eighteen and Scarlett was only seventeen. She also took note of the scar that ripped across her forehead.

"Oh my God!" Scarlett repeated, astonished. "What the _fuck_ are you guys doing here?"

"Scarlett, language!" Nova exclaimed shrilly. Scarlett bit her lip. She'd developed quite the trucker mouth when she moved back to New York, reforming to her old ways.

"Sorry. I meant, what the _fudge_ are you guys doing here?" Scarlett immediately wondered if the members of Big Time Rush were with them. Even seeing them brought up bad memories. She'd tried to keep in contact with some of them, but they were world famous. They didn't have time for her anymore. "Are the guys here?"

Kelly shook her head. "Uh, no. We didn't tell them." Scarlett looked confounded. "You see, Arthur Griffin wants to expand our music division."

"Why? You've already got BTR. They're one of the most popular bands in the world right now." Scarlett said it a bit snidely, instantly regretting her tone.

"Well, we've just been thinking it would be better if we had some variety on our label," Kelly countered.

Scarlett nodded slowly. She still didn't know why this concerned her. She looked over at Nova, who widened her eyes, giving her a look. Scarlett frowned, then suddenly knew what she was getting at.

"Are you implying that I come work with you guys in California?" Kelly nodded.

"You know, my voice and my style had changed since then," Scarlett stated. "I might not be what you want." Nova nodded in agreement.

"Which is why you would just be auditioning. You might get rejected," Gustavo put in. He tried to smile, but his face just wouldn't listen. "So what do you say? Will you come with us back to California?"

Everyone looked to Scarlett, who fell silent. Their expectant stares burned into her. Then she knew exactly what to say.

"Hell, no." Scarlett readjusted her bag on her shoulder and started down the path again, walking away from them. Nova caught up with her niece and put her hand on her shoulder. Scarlett faced her with watery eyes. "Please don't make me do this."

"I'd never make you do anything you didn't want to do, hon'," Nova assured her. She put an arm around her and rubbed her back comfortingly. A man in spandex bike shorts shoved Nova as he ran past her.

"Move out of the way!" the man yelled, running backwards. Scarlett flipped him the bird, but the man didn't look affected in any way. He just continued on his way.

"What a douchebag," Scarlett murmured. Nova snorted, looking at Scarlett with tired eyes.

"Don't call the moron a douchebag," she scolded. Then her expression softened. "Scarlett, I want you to seriously consider this offer. I know you've said you never wanted to this again-"

"Never ever."

"Right," Nova sighed, grabbing a fistful of her blond hair in annoyance. "I know you miss it, though. I hear you screaming song lyrics in your bedroom every night. It comes naturally to you. You said it was the only thing you were good at." Scarlett glanced over at Kelly and Gustavo. The both of them were pretending they weren't listening to their conversation.

Nova grabbed Scarlett by the shoulders, forcing her to listen. Nova's eyes were pleading. "You are freaking talented. I wish I had as much talent as you did. And I can't watch you throw something this amazing away. Don't let it go to waste." Scarlett began to object, but Kelly interrupted her, stepping in.

"It's only an audition," she pointed out. "Even if Griffin decides likes your music, you're allowed to choose whether or not you'd like to work with us. We'll never bother you again." Gustavo made a face and Kelly elbowed him roughly.

Scarlett stared at the dark asphalt, trying to determine if Kelly was sincere. She just didn't want to be manipulated. The thought of how everything could end up made her stomach hurt. "Why would you want to work with me after hearing about what a nightmare I am to work with?"

After Scarlett had been fired, her old boss had made it her mission to make sure everybody knew how horrifying she'd been. Scarlett could have retaliated, taking up the interview offers given by talk show hosts, but she'd been too mortified to show her face on television again. No one would believe when they saw all the the tantrums she'd staged that were posted on YouTube.

After she moved back to New York, she could barely ever go outside without being blinded by the flash of paparazzi cameras. It was scary. For what seemed like forever, you could only hear the sounds of people screaming and you could only see white light.

Scarlett looked back up at Kelly, shaking herself from her thoughts. "Scarlett," Kelly began, "You were great to be with on tour. Usually." Scarlett's lips curved into the tiniest smile. "We know everything Meredith said about you was bogus. And we'd love to get the opportunity to work with you." Scarlett knew she was being buttered up, but she didn't really mind. _Butter away_, she thought.

"I just...I don't know if I'm ready," Scarlett confessed, looking Kelly in the eyes. She realized Kelly was staring directly above her eyes at the two rings in her left eyebrow. She smirked and covered her eyebrow. Kelly realized she'd been caught and looked away.

Scarlett whirled around to face Nova. "And what about your job? I can't just make you up and leave. They need you at the bar."

Nova snorted. "Being a bartender isn't exactly my dream job. And you're like a daughter to me. I want what's best for you. And I think this is it." Scarlett reached over and squeezed her aunt's hand.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Scarlett promised, rolling her eyes. Gustavo rolled his eyes back at her behind his sunglasses and Kelly pulled a business card out of her purse. It had a fancy logo on it with a phone number under it.

"Call us as soon as possible," Kelly ordered, taking on a business tone. "Let's go, Rocque." Gustavo followed Kelly down the path, away from Scarlett.

Scarlett stared at the calling card, reading over the cursive once more. Her knuckles were white from how tightly she was squeezing the paper and she realized she was holding her breath. She breathed out, stuffing the card into the back pocket of her neon-trimmed track shorts. She could decide later.

**A/N: I hope you guys liked this. If you have any comments/feedback/criticism, just leave a review. Sorry to anyone that had a title. I was just so antsy and wanted to start this as soon as possible. I don't have time to waste. And don't you worry, BTR will be in the next chapter. Toodles!**


	2. Chapter 2: Blowing Chunks

**A/N: Hello everyone! You guys rawwk :) Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I'm really grateful and very happy you all find this interesting. Did I mention you guys rawwk?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 2: Blowing Chunks...and Other Things**

Kendall Knight walked into the Palm Woods pool area, iPhone in hand. He sat down in the lawn chair next to his bandmate and one of his best friends, James Diamond.

"Guess who I just got off the phone with?" he asked to no one in particular.

Lucy Stone, who happened to be walking by, answered, "Jay-Z?" She had a smirk on her face and her sarcasm was apparent. Kendall rolled his eyes as she took the seat next to him, spreading her body out on the chair.

"I wish," Kendall muttered, staring at his phone. He looked up again and squinted at the fiery sun. "It was Kelly. She told me that Gustavo found someone that could potentially start recording with us at Rocque Records. They might be staying here at the Palm Woods." James perked up immediately.

"Is she hot?" Lucy wrinkled her nose at him, shaking her head. If she_ was _a girl, James would be first to hit on her. He pretty much made a pass at anything in a skirt.

Kendall looked amused. "What makes you think it's gonna be a girl?"

"Intuition, my friend," James explained, placing a pair aviators over his eyes. "You'll see." Lucy raised an eyebrow, snorting.

"Hopefully, she's not another pop princess. We've already got too many of those here," Lucy stated. "Maybe I'll finally have someone I can discuss my music with."

Kendall stared at the rocker thoughtfully, cocking his head to the side. Her eyes were closed and her expression was unreadable. Lucy fascinated him, and he knew it wasn't because of the age difference. She challenged him and it drew him to her.

"What's going on here?" Kendall peered up to see Camille Roberts smiling down at him. Her boyfriend, Logan Mitchell, was standing by. His hand was in hers.

"We were just talking about the new talent moving in soon," Lucy replied, her bright brown eyes popping open. She crossed her legs and tucked her combat boots underneath her. "You may just have a new coworker at Rocque Records." Logan eyes widened slightly and he leaned in, clearly interested.

"Gustavo found someone worthy enough to work with him?" All heads turned to where Carlos had just surfaced from the chlorinated pool water. He was floating next to Stephanie King, who was resting on a polka-dotted inner tube. He glanced at her with a goofy grin. She pushed him back underwater, laughing.

"We'll find out soon enough," Kendall answered.

_**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**_

"I'm glad you chose to come work with my daddy. You're gonna be amazing." Scarlett chuckled and she shook her head. Even though she'd explained several times that she was just auditioning, Mercedes couldn't get it through her head.

She was sitting in the posh private jet Arthur Griffin had gifted his daughter for one of her birthdays. The exterior was a shocking hot pink and the inside was an exact replica of Mercedes' bedroom. Scarlett found it oddly comforting.

"She _is_ gonna rock," Nova agreed, grinning, "Let's just hope your dad and Mr. Rocque like her new sound. And thank you again for taking the jewelry out of your face, hon'." Nova smiled at her niece. Scarlett bit her lip and turned to the window. She still wasn't certain she wanted to be a client at Rocque Records. Simply coming to Hollywood was causing her some major anxiety. She was stronger and could deal with the people, but that didn't mean she wanted to to.

There was definitely one person she really didn't want to see, at least that day. That person was her ex-boyfriend, Logan Mitchell. Scarlett was fairly sure she was over him, but he still infuriated her. His life was in a world-famous pop group, he was in a relationship with the girl of his dreams, and worst of all, he was...happy. That was one thing Scarlett hadn't truly been for a long time.

Ironically, Big Time Rush's new hit single _Windows Down _started blaring through the plane's speakers. Scarlett peered out the window again, seeing that they were nearing the ground. She tightened her seat belt and braced herself for the landing. _Here we go..._

_**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**_

"This girl's voice is sick," Kendall murmured in appreciation. He and the three other members of BTR were sidled up against the recording studio door, straining their ears to listen in on the mystery singer. Kelly had ordered that the boys stay outside during the audition, convinced that something would go wrong. "I wonder what she looks like."

"Hopefully she's as hot as her voice is," James whispered, pressing his ear to the wooden door.

"If she is, I call dibs," Carlos stated. James faced his helmeted friend in disbelief.

"What?! No fair? We haven't even seen her yet!"

"No way I'm giving you the chance to call dibs on her before me! You always get the girl!"

James and Carlos promptly engaged in a slap fight, complete with bickering. Logan shut his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"Would you two shut up?!" he whisper-yelled. The two boys separated immediately, but Carlos made sure he got in the last slap.

"He started it," Carlos mumbled. Kendall rolled his eyes and sighed. They all went back to listening in on the audition.

The girl's voice was gritty, like she'd awoken with a mild case of laryngitis. It was sultry and low and the slightest bit breathy. Her voice was intoxicatingly irresistible. It wasn't exactly suited for the party pop of music Gustavo produced, but it was nice.

"Is anyone else having déjà vu?" Logan asked quietly. "Doesn't she sound kind of...familiar?" He pressed up against the door and tried to make out the words to the song the girl was singing.

"_There is no upper hand, I'm giving you mine_

_It doesn't have to end up wasting your time_

_There's things that I could say, but here in my way_

_I wanna let you know that it's all okay..."_

"God, I swear I've heard this song before," Logan said.

Kendall frowned and listened harder. "I don't think so. But the girl's voice does remind me of someone."

"Right?!" Logan agreed. He thought hard about the lyrics and her voice and tried to put them together, but he couldn't figure it out. He tried turning the doorknob, but with no success. "Can someone get this open? And Carlos, put your hand down, 'cause I don't need anyone breaking in with a sledgehammer."

Carlos slowly lowered his hand and stared dejectedly at his shoes. James pulled a small object out of his hair and kneeled down next to the doorknob. Kendall bent down beside him, zeroing in on the thing in his hand.

"Oh my God," Kendall snickered, his eyes aglitter, "Is that...is that a bobby pin in your hand? You know, I suspected you might have been born a girl, but I hadn't been sure. Thanks so much for clearing that up."

"Burn!" Carlos laughed, high-fiving Kendall.

James smacked the back of his friend's head. "Shut up. And look, it comes in handy 'cause..." James turned the knob, hearing the satisfying click. "Who would like to do the honors?" He stepped out of the way, presenting the door like Vanna White.

Logan stepped forward and pushed the door open. He and his three best friends stepped inside and collectively gasped.

Inside were some of the usual: Gustavo, Griffin Kelly. And then there was the unusual: Mercedes and Nova Spade. But the most surprising face was one none of the guys thought they'd ever see again.

When the girl at the piano saw the guys at the door, her fingers froze over the keys. Everything stopped. A pair of big green eyes locked with Logan's and he felt her name crawling up her throat.

"Scarlett," he murmured, breaking the silence. Even though it had only been a year, she looked a lot older and she had definitely matured. Her dark-rimmed wayfarer glasses were perched on her nose. She was taller, curvier, and sexier. Her hair was shorter, straightened, and even more blonde. She was gorgeous.

Scarlett suddenly felt sick. It didn't feel good seeing Logan, or any of the boys for that matter. Bad memories resurfaced and she felt her stomach turn.

She needed to get out of there. And fast.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Nova asked, rubbing her niece's back. The red in her cheeks had faded, having been replaced by a sickly green. No one waited for her to respond.

"You guys need to get out," Kelly demanded, stepping towards the boys. Not one of them moved.

"What's Scarlett doing here?" Carlos asked, pulling impatiently at one of his helmet straps. Gustavo raised his voice and Griffin tried shouting over him. His daughter joined into the arguing, and soon, no one was silent. That is, except for Scarlett.

"I...excuse me...," Scarlett choked out. But it was too late. She could feel the unpleasant salty taste at the back of her throat. She tried to move, but her feet were pinned to the ground. Scarlett lurched forward and spewed all over the ground. Projectile vomiting was not fun.

"Ew!" James shrieked, springing away.

"Is that oatmeal?" Carlos asked, squinting at the pukey mess.

Scarlett wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her brown leather jacket. She'd wanted to make a good impression. It hadn't worked out as planned. "Oh God. I'm so sorry-"

Gustavo was shaking like a Polaroid picture. "My PIANO!" The once beautiful black Steinway was covered in vomit.

"My shoes!" Mercedes wailed. "My Emilio Pucci shoes are covered in puke!"

Before she could do any more damage, Scarlett raced out of the studio, accidentally shoving Logan in the shoulder. He had the sudden urge to race after her, but he stayed put. Scarlett was like a hurricane: wild and a little bit dangerous. Trouble seemed to follow that girl wherever she went.

**A/N: Yeah...vomiting at an audition usually isn't the best way to go. I think we're off to a good start, by the way. Prepare for the unexpected :)**


	3. Chapter 3: New Digs

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews/comments/faves/follows and I apologize if I've made any mistakes in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 3: New Digs**

Scarlett stood in front of the mirror in the restroom of Rocque Records, holding onto the sides of one of the many porcelain sinks. She couldn't breathe or move. She was mortified.

She swallowed back another wave of nausea, raising her head to view her reflection. Before the boys had stepped into the room, she'd been so confident. She'd worn a professional-yet-sexy outfit approved by Mercedes: a leather jacket (the bad girl staple), a Miss Sixty miniskirt, and a borrowed pair of Christian Louboutin ankle boots with black stockings. She'd been ready for anything.

The audition had been so easy for her, so effortless. One look in Logan's eyes and her insides were sent into a frenzy. She sighed at her reflection, fogging up the mirror. Her head jerked around when she registered another face in the mirror.

"_Scarlett, what on earth happened back there_?" Scarlett whirled, startled by the voice. A girl who looked exactly like herself faced her. The girl's arms were crossed and she looked impatient. She had the same haircut and style Scarlett had sported just a year ago. Her blue eyes blinked innocently.

"A-are you...me?" Scarlett stammered, backing into the wall. The girl rolled her eyes and smirked.

"_As if. I'm the old you. Your alter ego_." She was dressed in a getup Scarlett had worn on tour. "I'm here to help you." She put her hands on her hips, smiling proudly.

Scarlett frowned in confusion. "Help me what? I've already blown the audition." Her back slid down the wall and she landed helplessly on the marble tile. It was freezing on her bare thighs. "You know, maybe this wasn't meant to be. Maybe I don't deserve another chance-"

"_God, who you shut up?! When did you start being such a Debbie Downer_?" Alter-ego Scarlett crouched down in her stilettos so she was level with her real-life reflection. "_Scarlett, you need to get back in there and take charge of the room. A little upchucking never hurt anyone. And you've got a secret weapon on your side: Mercedes._"

"_This isn't just your chance to make the music you want to make_," Alter-ego Scarlett continued, "_It's your chance to tell the world your side of the story. What working with Meredith was like. So go make Griffin and Gustavo change their minds, honey. Don't disappoint me or you'll just be disappointing yourself._"

Real-life Scarlett removed her glasses to rubbed her eyes and when she reopened them, her alter ego was gone. She pressed the back of her hand to forehead to check for warmth. "I must be going crazy. Better lay off the oatmeal." Just then, the bathroom door was kicked open.

"Scarlett, you should've told me if you were sick," Nova scolded, scurrying into the restroom. She got down on her knees and felt the side of Scarlett's neck. Scarlett pushed her aunt's hand away from her, slowly standing. Mercedes walked in, grabbing a fistful of paper towels.

"I'm not sick. It was the nerves again," Scarlett huffed, brushing off her skirt. The worry lines in Nova's face disappeared as she sighed in relief. Scarlett glanced to the left at her friend who was trying to salvage what was left of her shoes. She sighed, biting her bottom lip. "I'm really sorry about your shoes, Merce."

Mercedes just shrugged. "No use crying over spilled milk, right? Daddy'll get me a new pair. And don't worry, he loved your song."

Scarlett stared at her in disbelief. "He what?"

"He loved it, Scarlett. He said it was almost better than a pair of warm pants." Nova eyebrows furrowed. _What did that even mean?_

"I'm gonna to assume that's a good thing," Scarlett said slowly. Mercedes nodded enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. Scarlett's expression was soon the same as hers. Then the grin faded. "But I'm still not sure about this. I mean, where am I gonna live?"

Nova had sold the house she'd had in California not long after she'd relocated to New York with her niece, so staying there was out of the question.

"You could live with me!" Mercedes cried out suddenly, scaring the crap out of both Nova and Scarlett. "Daddy wouldn't mind."

Scarlett's aunt shook her head, her pretty features contorting into a frown. "Sweetie, I'm not sure me living with you guys there would be the best arrangement."

"Yeah, I guess that's true," Mercedes agreed, sighing. Then she snapped her fingers. "Stay in my beach house! It's just sitting in Malibu all empty, going to waste."

"Mercedes, we couldn't-"

"We'll take it!" Scarlett interrupted. Before Nova could argue, the bathroom door screeched open and Kelly's head poked inside.

"Scarlett, if you're feeling well enough, there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you about the job. I presume Mercedes told you Griffin liked your sound," she announced. "If your still feeling sick, I can schedule you in for another day."

Scarlett stepped away from her friend, crossing the room to the door. "No, I'm okay. Let's do it. By the way, I'm really sorry about the, well, you know. I normally don't get nervous. Like, ever." Kelly nodded in understanding.

"Believe it or not, it's happened more than once," Kelly assured. "So if you'll just follow me to Gustavo's office-"

"I'm coming with," Nova interjected, pulling the strap of her bulging purse up her arm. "This concerns me also." Scarlett didn't object. She said goodbye to Mercedes before following Kelly out.

All three girls settled in Gustavo's snug little office. Fortunately, Gustavo had been banished to another room, along with the members of BTR.

"First, I need to know if you've decided to take this job," Kelly read, holding a clipboard in front of her eyes. Scarlett sat in a seat about a foot across from her. Her aunt was being swallowed by a bean bag next to her. "If you'd like, you can see what working here is like for a week. At the end of the week, you'd have to choose."

Scarlett fiddled with the side of her rectangle-framed glasses. "Will I have the same hours as...your other clients? Because I'd rather work alone."

Kelly bit down on the end of the ball-point pen in her hand. "Well, it would be a lot more convenient, since you'd both be staying at the Palm Woods. The driver wouldn't have to go there twice-"

"Oh, I'm not staying at the Palm Woods," Scarlett said. "I've already been offered a place in Malibu."

Nova tried sitting up, but the bean bag sucked her back in. "Will this be an issue?" she asked. Kelly bit on a french-manicured thumbnail.

"Um, actually, yeah. Unless you can drive to Rocque Records." Scarlett and Nova glanced at each other, than back at Kelly.

Scarlett looked desperate. "I don't drive. But Nova can drive me.

Nova scoffed. "With what car? It's still back in New York."

"But I don't want to stay at the Palm Woods!"

Scarlett fisted a clump of her blond hair, frustrated. Why did her past have to keep getting in the way of her future. Why couldn't she escape it?

Kelly reached over and squeezed Scarlett's knee. "Honey, if you want to work here, you have to put our feeling aside. The Palm Woods is the closest and most convenient option."

After a few moments, Scarlett nodded. "You're right. I'm being unprofessional and I'm sorry. I'd really like to try the week-long trial thing." Kelly smiled, jotting something down on her clipboard.

"That's great. Now I have to read you a list of rules." Kelly paused to look up at the two women in front of her before going on. "Okay, here we go. No drinking-slash-being intoxicated during work hours. Or, in your case, ever." Kelly gave Scarlett a look.

Scarlett felt heat crawling up her neck and looked away. That reputation would never go away. "Um, rule two: No relationships between clients. Gustavo insists that feeling are the enemy of efficiency."

_No need to worry about that one_, Scarlett thought. After Kelly had read off the whole list, Nova asked some questions.

"Would it be okay if I managed her? Just to make sure all the choices made go through me , being the legal guardian," Nova said.

Kelly nodded. "I'll speak to Griffin about it. Scarlett, is there anything you'd like to add?"

Scarlett twisted a stick-straight strand of blond hair in her fingers. "I'd like to be able to co-write and independently write my own songs. I'd also like to use my own instruments." Kelly quickly added this to the sheet on her clipboard.

"I'll see what Gustavo thinks about it," Kelly promised. "Next week, we'll start figuring out how we're going to repair your image. We'll also discuss what you want your image to be, your sound, et cetera, et cetera. You won't be doing any actual recording for some time."

"Okay," Scarlett replied, rising from her chair. She knew she should feel more excited, but she didn't for some reason. "I'll check into the Palm Woods. Soon. I promise."

"Awesome. I'll send you your schedule on Saturday." Kelly thrust out her arm, offering a handshake. Scarlett felt something catch in her throat. She was briefly reminded of her first recording contract. The one with the record company that claimed that they owned her.

Scarlett met Kelly's gaze. It was reassuring, genuinely nice. So Scarlett took the leap. She grabbed her hand and gave it a firm shake. It was warm and soft. Not legally binding. It was decided. Rocque Records was a friendly place. Hopefully, the Palm Woods Hotel was the same.

* * *

Early on Saturday morning, James took a shower, got dressed, and left 2J to wait by the Palm Woods entrance. It was abnormal for him to ever wake up before noon his day off, but today was special. Rocque Record's new client was moving in.

James slid a pair of aviators onto his face and crossed his muscle-riddled arms. A smile spread across his face when he heard a suitcase rolling across the gravel. Scarlett rounded the corner, revealing herself. She was wearing an faded purple hoodie and shredded cutoffs, trying not to draw attention.

She didn't notice James until he let out a low whistle. Scarlett flinched, knocking over one of her suitcases. Her emerald eyes widened as James sauntered over, hoisting one of her bags over his shoulder.

"I heard you before I saw you," James said with a smirk on his face. "I think the wheels on your suitcases may be defective."

"What are you doing here?" Scarlett asked bluntly. James' smile didn't fade.

"I live here."

"Don't play dumb, Diamond." Scarlett put her hands on her hips.

James kept to his act. His innocent, slightly stupid expression helped pull it off. "I just wanted to help out our new coworker." He began walking down the path, so Scarlett trailed behind him with the rest of her stuff. "I heard you got the job." He paused. "So...are you feeling okay?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "That was probably the most embarrassing thing that I've ever done." James shrugged his shoulders, as if ralphing at an audition wasn't a big deal.

"You were nervous," James said. "It's understandable."

_If only that was it_, Scarlett thought. "So where is everyone? Was their an alien abduction or something?" The pool area was completely deserted. Thank God. She couldn't deal with people at such an early hour.

"Not exactly," James answered, chuckling. "Most of us don't get up this early, but if anyone _is_ up, they're just waking up or at an audition for something." He pushed open the lobby doors, holding them open for Scarlett. She gave him an incredulous look from over her glasses.

"Since we're talking and all..." Scarlett began. She turned to James and cracked a half-smile. "You've gotten so tall! And tan. California has been good to you." James smiled back at her. He'd cracked through her shell.

He put his hand on her shoulder. "You're the one who's gotten tall. Freakishly tall, for that matter. What are you, five-ten?" Scarlett shoved him to the side playfully. "Hey, it's a good thing. I mean you were a midget when I last saw you."

"Five-six is not even close to midgetness," Scarlett argued, giggling. "Maybe compared the Jolly Green Giant..."

Before Scarlett knew what was happening, James pulled her glasses off her face. "So what's with these things. Just so you, the nerd glasses fad is over." James held them out of her reach, laughing.

"James, seriously, I'm blind without those," Scarlett complained, grabbing at the air. "I've had them for years, but I had to wear contacts." James reluctantly handed them back, watching her slide the back up the bridge of her nose. "And puh-lease, I started that fad."

"Well, they fit you well. Very sexy librarian." Scarlett rolled her eyes, fighting off the urge to be flattered.

"Let's just get me checked in, you flirt," she instructed, leading him to the front desk. She wrinkled her nose when she realized that the man behind the desk was asleep. James, being used to this, slammed his palm down on the desk bell. Mr. Bitters' head popped up in surprise.

"Bitters, my friend here needs to check in." James propped his arms up on the desk, holding, his chin pressed against his knuckles. Bitters looked from James to Scarlett wearily.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" he asked. James clamped a hand over his mouth yo hold in his chuckles. Scarlett elbowed him, trying not to smile. "Ugh, never mind. I wouldn't want to know anyone who's friends with a hockey-head. Do you have reservation?"

"Should be under the name Spade." Scarlett tapped her fingers against her thigh impatiently. Bitters searched his the computerized check-in for her name. When he found, he smile insincerely and handed her a keycard.

"Room 3B. Have a Palm Woods day!" He went back to his computer almost immediately, clearly uninterested in the two teens. James showed Scarlett to the elevator, getting in after her and her luggage.

He pressed the third floor button before peering down at Scarlett's long legs. "Whoa, I just noticed the tattoo. Nice!" The tattoo went all the way up the side of her left leg, making it seem miles longer.

Scarlett's pink lips twitched, forming the smallest of grins. "I'll show you my other tattoos later. Unfortunately for you, none of them are in obscene places." James smiled, revealing a two very dazzling rows of teeth.

"Aw, that's too bad," James said, feigning sadness. "What's your room number again?" Scarlett reached into her back pocket and glared at the front of the card.

"Uh, 3B. Why do you ask? Planning some sort of hazing? "

"No, it's just so I know. It sounds really familiar for some reason." There was a loud _ding_, and the doors parted. Scarlett dragged her suitcases out of the cramped area and into the third floor hall. She glanced around, taking in her new digs.

"Need any help unpacking?" James asked. "You might need a strong, buff guy like me to help fold those tank tops." This got another giggle out of Scarlett, who shook her head no. James pressed the level two button in the elevator. "I'm gonna go tell the guys you're here." Scarlett stopped in her tracks and James cringed. "I mean...if you don't want-"

"No, tell 'em," Scarlett insisted, nodding. "They'd find out eventually, anyways." The elevator doors started to close, so she waved goodbye. James waved back until the doors shut. "Now where are you 3B?" She spotted it at the end of the hall. The number and letter was painted in bronze on the door.

She slid the card down the scanner and the red blinking light turned green. She turned the doorknob, pushing the door open with her shoulder.

Scarlett was surprised to see a messy, cramped little apartment room filled with overflowing cardboard boxes and stacks of magazines. Even more shocking, there was a teenage girl sitting on a sunken couch with her feet up on a low coffee table, glowering at her.

She slowly stood up from her comfy position, clomping up to Scarlett in her signature combat boots. Her expression resembled Scarlett's when she first witnessed Logan for the first time in a year. Completely flabbergasted.

"Oh, hell no."

**A/N: Lucy Stone, meet Scarlett Browning. **


	4. Chapter 4: Burnin' Up

**A/N: Sorry about the wait for this chapter and spelling mistakes. Happy reading :)**

**Chapter 4: Burnin' Up**

"Sorry, do I know you?" Scarlett asked. The girl facing her reminded Scarlett of a pot ready to boil over. Steam practically poured out ofher ears. She highly doubted this chick was a fan. At least, she didn't look the the typical fan with her dyed black hair and fiery red streaks. She seemed more like someone into metal.

"Scarlett Browning? You're the one moving in?"

"No, I just like carrying my suitcases everywhere." Scarlett's sarcasm was starting to piss off Lucy. She'd met Scarlett once a while ago and that one encounter had been enough to make Lucy hate her guts.

"Why the hell are you in my apartment anyway?" Lucy demanded in a low, ominous tone. The fact the she was still in her pajamas probably made her a little less intimidating, but she still got Scarlett to back up into the hallway. "Are you here to apologize to me?" Lucy's arms were crossed over her chest and she was glaring at the ex-pop star with disdain.

"I was told this was _my _apartment." Scarlett thrust her keycard into Lucy's field of vision. Her eyes darkened and she snatched the card, wanting to rip it apart. She blinked repeatedly, incredulous.

Scarlett smirked. "The number isn't gonna change, honey. And what's this about apologizing to someone I don't know? In fact, you should apologize for being so rude."

Lucy gaped at the blonde. "Me? Apologize to you." She pulled at her two-toned hair. "Do you remember me?"

Scarlett frowned, her forehead crinkling. She was completely, utterly confuzzled. "I've never met you and you haven't even mentioned your name. How could I remember you?" Unfortunately, this question just angered Lucy more. A vein throbbed in her forehead.

"Ugh! Just move!" Lucy roared. She brushed past Scarlett, nearly knocking her over. Scarlett watched her round the corner to board the elevator. She wasn't exactly sure if she should stay. So she left. She hurried down the stairs to catch up with the girl.

In the lobby, Lucy was complaining to Mr. Bitters, who was trying to block her out. He nodded at random points in her rant as he tried to suck all of the Cheese-Puff dust off of his fingers. His head turned when he heard someone stomping down the stairs. Scarlett emerged, glancing around for someone.

"I still don't know what your name is," Scarlett stated, spotting Lucy by the front desk. Lucy ignored her, her attention returning to Bitters. He was starting in on a package of Pop-Tarts.

"So what I'm trying to ask is why does _that_ have a key to my room?" Lucy pointed to Scarlett accusingly. Scarlett waved, smiling smugly. Lucy rolled her eyes in response.

Mr. Bitters glanced at each girl. Then he looked down at his glowing computer screen. "It appears that there are no vacant rooms available," he finally said, grinning shyly. "Since you live alone, I guess the computer automatically paired you up with Scarlett. Now have a Palm Woods-"

"No! This isn't fair. Doesn't anybody else live alone?" Lucy whined, desperate. She banged her fist on the desktop and Mr. Bitters jumped away. Scarlett muttered something under her breath. She was beginning to get offended by this girl.

"What did I ever do to you?" Scarlett blurted. Both Bitters and Lucy barely acknowledged her even though she stood a mere two feet from both of them.

Mr. Bitters obnoxiously chewed on his Pop-Tart, oblivious to the tension between the girls. "It's my way or the highway, Lucy," he said, spraying crumbs everywhere.

_Lucy, what a pretty name,_ Scarlett thought. _Too bad it's wasted on such a witch_.

"I could evict you on the spot if I wanted to," Mr. Bitters continued. "Your call." Lucy blanched, her mouth scrunching into a tight, small line. She set her jaw and her brown orbs narrowed to slits. Mr. Bitters didn't bat an eyelash.

"Fine," Lucy sighed, looking down at her feet. Bitters looked triumphant. Lucy looked spent.

"But we'll be splitting the rent of a single-person room," Scarlett added, trying not flinch when Lucy kicked her in the ankle, "If you want to avoid being sued for not informing a resident about a change in their contract beforehand." Mr. Bitters pulled at his collar nervously as Scarlett stared him down.

He reluctantly agreed, promising to write up a new lease. As Lucy and Scarlett left the desk and entered the elevator, Scarlett waited to hear 'thank you' from her new roomie. Instead, she received yet another complaint.

"Why did you do that? I could've been kicked out." Lucy jabbed the third floor button violently, possibly permanently forcing it into its socket.

Scarlett pressed up against the side of the elevator cart Lucy _wasn't_ on in fear of being attacked."I was just trying to help," she insisted. Her thighs were beginning to go numb from the coldness of the elevator wall. "I didn't think what Bitters was doing was fair. We have rights, you know." Lucy groaned.

"Quit pretending to be all sweet and nice. I met you two years ago and you were a total nightmare." Scarlett's large almond-shaped eyes widened to an impossible size.

"When was this?!" she exclaimed, sounding hysterical. "Was this, like, a dream you had when you were ill?" Scarlett started giggling, but the laughter died on her lips when Lucy didn't join. The death glare she constantly wore was getting old.

When the elevator doors parted, Lucy stomped out, several steps ahead. With one last look at Scarlett, she said, "Just stay out of my way, Browning."

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Pew, pew, pew!" Carlos exclaimed, stabbing at a button on his controller. He, James, Kendall, and Logan were playing a video game in front of their flat-screen television. While they all sat cross-legged on the carpet, Katie was lounging on the arm of their orange couch.

Katie rolled her eyes at Carlos, who continued to make annoying sound effects. "That's really not necessary, Carlos," she said. She smiled politely, trying to appear innocent.

"Oh, I know," Carlos answered cheerfully. Katie sighed in relief when he stopped. A few minutes later, Carlos had begun pew-pew-pewing again. Katie clutched her head and groaned. The boys failed to notice. She sighed louder. The boys kept their eyes glued to the TV.

Katie hopped off of the couch, weaving between the longs limbs of her brother's friends scattered across the carpet. "I'm going to my room," Katie huffed, "Not that anyone cares." Just as she was about to step into the hallway, a knock sounded at their door. Katie perked up at the prospect of having someone to talk to and opened the door.

Camille stepped in, looking very summer-y in a tie-dyed blue sundress. She raised a severely tanned arm and waved. Logan immediately dropped his controller, walking over to his girlfriend. His avatar in the video paused in fighting stance and his weapon stopped firing bullets.

"Katie, jump in and take his place!" Kendall requested. He handed Katie the rejected controller. Katie rolled her eyes and accepted it. It was better than nothing.

Camille grabbed one of Logan's shoulders and kissed his lightly on the lips. The bundle of sheets she hand in her other hand brushed Logan's thigh. When they parted, Logan was grinning at Camille. She grinned back.

"Hey," he breathed, snaking an arm around her. He pulled her in for another kiss. Kendall cleared his throat, reminding Logan that Katie was in the room. He pulled away from Camille begrudgingly. "So, uh, what's up? Do you need help rehearsing for an audition?" He pointed to the rolled-up script in her fist.

"I do, but later." Camille dropped onto the couch cushions, slouching. "I just wanted to see what you guys were up to." Kendall paused the game they was playing. James tossed his controller angrily and it ricocheted off of the dome hockey table. Kendall stared at him with wide eyes, waiting for an explanation.

"I was just about to kill you!" James whined. Carlos patted him on the back comfortingly.

"So did you hear Scarlett moved in?" Kendall asked. He and his bandmates had spread the word about Scarlett getting signed Rocque Records the day before. They hadn't known she'd move into the Palm Woods, too. "I haven't even seen her yet." Camille nodded.

"Carlos sent out a mass text," Camille reported, flashing her cell phone. "I think even Buddha Bob knows by now."

"Yeah, he's on my contact list," Carlos said. Katie gave him an amused glance.

"Of course he is," she laughed.

"Better batten down the hatches," Kendall joked. "Hurricane Scarlett means trouble." He leaned back, resting his head on his little sister's legs. She pulled away quickly and Kendall's head thumped against the floor. He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"She's not trouble," Katie pouted.

"No, no, Katie's right," Camille agreed. Then she cracked a small smile. "Scarlett's not trouble-" She paused for effect "-She's trou_bled._" Kendall chuckled, earning a slap from Katie.

"Come on, we're just kidding around," Kendall murmured to his baby sis. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Logan was silent, feeling uncomfortable. He knew they were just joking, but it wasn't nice to hear. He knew Scarlett better than any of them did. He jumped, surprised when Camille placed her hand of his thigh.

"I wanna invite her to the pool," Camille said. "I just don't know what room she's in and Bitters won't spill."

"She's in 3B." Everyone turned their heads towards James. "I got her checked in this morning. We caught up." Logan raised an eyebrow at this new information.

Before he could speak, Camille asked, "Isn't that Lucy's room?" James snapped and pointed at her.

"That's it! That's been bugging me all day!" Camille smirked at him.

"Shouldn't you know her room number by now, silly?" She uncrossed her legs and nudged James' thigh with her toes.

"You know I'm bad with numbers," James mumbled. "Logan made me do practice algebra yesterday until my brain turned to mush."

"So for, like, twenty minutes," Logan deadpanned. Carlos laughed and high-fived him. James just rolled his eyes.

"I wonder how Lucy feels about rooming with Scarlett," Kendall murmured, still on that subject. "She thinks she's a talentless idiot."

Camille's eyebrows spiked. "Why is that?"

Kendall shrugged. "Apparently, she met her a long time ago. She claims Scarlett was a total bitch to her." He glanced over at his sister. "Excuse my language."

"I'm twelve, not two," Katie retorted, flicking a piece of carpet at Kendall.

"Kendall, no cursing in my living room!" Mrs. Knight called from the kitchen. Kendall smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Mom," he hollered back. He turned back to his friends to see Camille rising from her comfy spot on the couch.

"I'm gonna go to 3B," she announced, "Anyone coming with?"

A minute later, the living room was empty. Everyone followed Camille out, trailing behind the swaying skirt of her dress. They all squished into the elevator, shuffled awkwardly to the Muzak, and spilled out on the third floor. Katie raced to the end of the hall and knocked furiously on Lucy's door.

Lucy came to the door a minute later. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the crowd in the hall.

Camille stepped in front of Katie. "Hi, Lucy," she chirped, "Is Scarlett here? I kinda wanted to invite her to the pool."

Lucy's eyes hardened. "You guys know her?" she asked. She leaned up against the doorjamb.

"Yeah," Kendall piped up. He saw Lucy's eyes shift to him."I told you we went on tour with her and you told me she was a total bitch."

Lucy's smirk reappeared. "I vaguely remember this conversation. I wasn't lying about what I said, by the way." She paused, glancing back into her apartment. She sighed and opened the door a crack. "Come in."

The group piled into the cramped space, struggling to find places to stand. "Scarlett, get your ass in here!" Lucy poked her head into the hallway, shouting through the walls.

Scarlett wrapped her sopping wet hair in a terry-cloth towel turban and slipped out of the bathroom. "Lucy, I'm trying to take a..." Scarlett froze in her tracks, acknowledging all the people in the living room. Water droplets slid down her tattooed arms and soaked the carpet. "...shower."

The room went silent. All eyes were on Scarlett, who tightened her grip on the towel around her torso. She pulled at the hem of her towel and thought, _Why couldn't this thing be longer?_ It barely covered her thighs.

"Nice to see you, Scarlett," Camille greeted cheerfully, breaking the pause. There was a collective sigh of relief from almost everybody in the room. Lucy's eyes were focused on the ceiling, her foot tapping the ground impatiently.

Scarlett squirmed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She noticed Camille's hand was firmly clasped in Logan's. She avoided both of their gazes. "Camille," she replied.

Awkward silence.

"They want to know if you'll go to the pool with them," Lucy blurted, exasperated. "Will you please just go? I need the apartment to myself right now." Scarlett didn't want to go, but the tired look on Lucy's face changed her mind.

"I'll meet you guys out front," Scarlett sighed. She scurried out of the living room and locked herself in Lucy's bedroom. She pressed her back to the door, staring at the opposite wall. That had been excruciating.

Seeing James, Kendall, and Carlos had been okay. It reminded her of the good times she'd had on tour. But when she saw Camille and Logan, she felt a pang of jealousy. Why did they have to be so happy together? Why couldn't they be miserable, too?

Scarlett unzipped one of her suitcases, rooting through it for her bathing suit. The bottle of Margaritaville Gold that Mercedes had snuck her during the plane ride peeked out from the bottom. Scarlett wanted to stay in and drink it on the couch.

She tucked it back underneath her things and pulled out a swimsuit. Only it wasn't hers. It was the one Mercedes had picked out when they went shopping together. The one that Scarlett had rejected.

"Typical," she muttered. Mercedes only liked clothing if it was skimpy or provocative. The bikini was both. Scarlett reluctantly put it on, staring at her reflection in the mirror on the wall. She immediately pulled a pair of shorts and tank top over it. "Crisis averted," she said to herself.

She tucked her glasses in her pocket and slid her prescription Ray-Bans up the bridge of her nose. Then she stepped out into the hallway, ready to have a horrible time. Lucy approached her and made a face.

"You sure you're not coming?" Scarlett asked. She ignored the disgusted look on Lucy's face.

"Not if you are," Lucy snapped, pushing past her. Scarlett sighed and bit her lip, watching Lucy make her way down the hall before leaving the apartment. Scarlett grabbed her bottle of spray-on sunscreen off of the counter before closing the door.

Camille was waiting by a giant potted plant in the lobby. She witnessed Scarlett come out of the elevator and walk over to the front desk to get a folder from Bitters. Camille took a deep breath. _It's go time_, Camille thought. Camille mustered up her sweetest smile and wiggled her dainty fingers, waving Scarlett over.

Camille wanted to get on Scarlett's good side. She _was_ to blame for Scarlett and Logan breaking up. Not that she regretted it. She just felt bad for Scarlett. Besides, it wasn't like Scarlett had been compatible with Logan. Camille had done her a _favor_.

"Everyone's outside," Camille oozed, her voice dripping with charm. Scarlett forced the corners of her lips to turn upward. Camille placed a hand on her shoulder.

Scarlett didn't know Camille well enough to hate her, but she certainly wasn't her biggest fan. Scarlett decided she wasn't going to be rude.

"Would you mind spraying this on me before we head out?" Scarlett handed Camille her bottle of sunscreen. Camille plucked the cap off of the nozzle, her eyes scanning the label attached to the face: SPF 30.

"You sure you don't want to borrow some tanning oil?" Camille suggested, taking in Scarlett's porcelain complexion. Scarlett crossed her arms self-consciously.

"I don't tan, I burn," Scarlett insisted, shaking her head. "Been there, done that."

Camille chuckled. "That sucks." She pointed the nozzle at Scarlett's arm. "Close your eyes." Scarlett obeyed, allowing Camille to spray a cloud of sunscreen around her slim frame. Camille's soft brown eyes widened as she counted all of the tattoos Scarlett had. "Hey, uh, what's that file you're holding?"

"It's my temporary schedule at Rocque Records," Scarlett explained, eyes closed. "It was in my mailbox."

"Why is it temporary?" Camille prodded, trying not to sound too curious.

Scarlett tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Well, honestly, I might not be staying in California. Rocque Records wants to sign me and I'm going to find out if I like it there or not." Her bluntly-cut bangs hid her raised eyebrows. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason," Camille answered casually. "Did I tell you how nice your hair looks, by the way? I like it way better straight and short." _That way it looked nothing like hers_.

"Uh, thanks," Scarlett said. It came out like a question. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Oh! Yeah, go ahead." Scarlett's eyes popped open and Camille gave her back the bottle of sunscreen. She then pushed open the lobby doors, dragging Scarlett outside.

As usual, the poolside was packed. Teenagers were chatting with each other, sucking on freshly-prepared smoothies, and cannon-balling into the deep chlorine-blue pool water. The Jennifers were at a small table, gossiping. As usual.

"...so I got offered the modeling job for Theory's new fall campaign and I start next week," Curly-haired Jennifer gabbed, shrugging her bronzed shoulders. "I guess I just have the face for it, you know?" Dark-haired Jennifer nodded, unblinking. Their unofficial leader, Blonde Jennifer, was staring right over her head. "What are you looking...?"

She trailed off when she realized what (more like _who_) Blonde Jennifer had her gaze set on. Dark-haired Jennifer frowned. She turned around in her seat and gasped, her pretty mouth falling open.

"Is that...?" Curly-haired Jennifer began.

"It can't be," Dark-haired Jennifer insisted.

"It is!" Blonde Jennifer confirmed.

Scarlett tossed her hair over her shoulder, causing almost all male eyes to shift from the Jennifers to her. Blonde Jennifer's eyes narrowed into slits.

"I love her, yet I hate her," Curly-haired Jennifer sighed. "She's gorgeous and talented like us-"

"But she's so sleazy," Dark-haired Jennifer finished.

"Right?!"

"She was blessed with the beauty trifecta: perfect hair, face, and body."

"She won the genetics lottery!"

"Would you guys, puh-lease-uh!" Blonde Jennifer snapped. She glared at the platinum blonde of model proportions before turning back to her pampered posse. "She's a bit average-looking." But she couldn't even convince _herself_ to believe that.

Scarlett settled into the lawn chair Camille had all but forced her into. James had nabbed the seat next to her. His best friends were laid out beside Camille.

Scarlett glanced at each boy behind her tinted shades, marveling at how much they'd changed in a year. They were all several inches taller. Their voices were deeper. They'd gotten even more attractive.

Carlos was wearing his helmet less, letting his inky black hair be seen. Scarlett nodded in approval; definitely worthy of having fingers run through it.

James' hair was shorter and darker. He looked a lot more mature when his bangs weren't in his eyes. He looked like a total stud.

Kendall had tidied up his scruffy, Minnesota look quite a bit. His hair was neater and his bushy eyebrows were less bushy. He looked like he'd been living in California all his life.

But it was Logan who Scarlett couldn't take her eyes off of. He'd gotten tan from the California rays and his bare arms were impressively toned. His retro, almost Johnny Bravo-esque hairdo was a little too California for Scarlett. She wanted to run her fingers through his obnoxiously caressable hair and mess it up a bit. She wanted to stare into his warm chocolate eyes until they were all she could see.

Those eyes still made her melt. Those eyes wouldn't stop looking at Camille. Scarlett's cheeks burned when she realized James had been watching her. She buried her nose in her folder.

James cleared his throat. "So how are you liking it here so far?" he asked, getting Scarlett's attention.

She shrugged and lowered her folder. "My roommate hates me for reasons that are beyond me and half the people here think I'm a whore. You tell me." She promptly rolled over on her side, facing away from James.

Camille drew her knees to her chest. "That's not true." Even though she kind of thought it was.

"Yeah," Carlos chimed in, "It's gotta be less than half." Kendall buried his face in his palm. Carlos' was the master of unintended backhanded compliments.

"Wow, that's so comforting," Scarlett deadpanned, glowering at Carlos. His smile visibly wilted.

"He was just trying to be nice. It's not his fault it's true." Scarlett was surprised to hear Logan's voice. He'd barely looked at her all day. Not that she cared.

"So you think I'm a whore?" Scarlett narrowed her eyes, daring Logan to toss a clever comeback her way. She almost wanted him to.

But he didn't. Instead, he edged closer to Camille, grabbed a handful of her dark curls, and pulled her into him. The swampy sound of their kissing forced Scarlett to look away. She tugged at the solitary black streak in her hair, distracting herself with pain.

"This got uncomfortable fast," Kendall muttered. Scarlett tried to laugh, but it got caught in her throat. She tried a friendly smile and aimed it at Carlos and Kendall. Carlos smiled back. He'd already forgotten about her comment.

"Say, Kendall," Scarlett began, "Where's _your_ girlfriend? I've been dying to talk to Jo." Kendall averted his eyes. His mouth opened and nothing came out. Carlos was silent.

"Jo's filming a movie with Sutton Greene," James said. His words were slow and strained. "Both of them have been in New Zealand for, like, six months now."

Scarlett's eyebrows raised, hiding themselves under her bangs. This was new info. "Oh-Gosh, I assumed the movie was being filmed here in Hollywood. Wait-If Jo's in New Zealand and Kendall's here..." She stopped herself when she figured out the rest. She felt like an ass for bringing it up. "I'm so sorry." She put her hand on Kendall's forearm.

He smiled weakly, dipping his head. "It's alright." He paused. "I think I'm gonna head in, though. See if Katie found her swimsuit." Scarlett's hand slid from his arm as he stood up to leave. She sighed when she heard the lobby doors slam. Why did she always have to say the wrong things?

Just then, a soccer ball rolled over. It came to a halt when it bumped Carlos' toe. Carlos' eyes lit up when Stephanie King appeared in front of him. He grabbed the ball and thrust it towards her. Their fingers brushed, lighting Carlos' insides on fire.

"Thanks, Carlos." Stephanie grinned, standing over Carlos. "Do you wanna come play soccer with me in the park?" She bounced the ball from one knee to the other. "I'll buy you a smoothie," she added in a teasing lilt.

Carlos sprang out of his seat. He reminded James of a baby bunny on a sugar rush. "I'm in." He and Stephanie strolled out of the pool area, never once taking their eyes off each other.

"Who was _that_?" Scarlett asked. Carlos could not have looked more lovestruck if he tried. He'd pull a muscle or something.

"That was Stephanie King, Carlos' lady friend," Camille replied, giggling.

"Really?"

"No," James admitted, "But he's totally head over heels for her."

"He just doesn't have the sack to tell her," Logan rejoined. "It's sad, really." Camille pinched his upper arm, earning a yelp from her boyfriend.

"Like you would've admitted to liking me without _your_ friends," she reminded him.

"That pinch really hurt," Logan mumbled. He rubbed his arm to emphasize this.

"I can make it better." The two resumed kissing again, causing both James and Scarlett to look away.

Scarlett wasn't sure if it was the sun or her fury, but somehow, it got hotter. James wiped away the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His bangs were pasted to his forehead.

"Did you know California means 'hot oven'?" James asked.

"Go figure," Scarlett laughed, shaking her head. "That's the perfect definition."

James stripped his perspiration-soaked shirt off and dumped it next to his feet. "I'm jumping into the pool?" He smiled, exposing his dazzling teeth. "Care to join me?"

Scarlett shook her head. "Don't feel like getting wet." James shrugged.

"Suit yourself." He backed up a couple of steps before diving into the pool. Camille and Logan sprang apart, startled by the splash. Scarlett stifled a smirk.

"Actually, I changed my mind," Scarlett announced. She shimmied out of her shorts and shirt, forgetting all about the itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini she was in. She hopped into the pool and landed with a huge splash. When she surfaced, she saw Logan and Camille were even more soaked.

"Really?" Logan snapped. "You couldn't have just stepped into the pool?"

Scarlett didn't bother hiding her smirk this time. "I could have, but this way is funnier." James shook out his hair, sending water droplets everywhere. Scarlett squealed and batted the pool water at him.

She hoisted herself up on the pool ledge and swung her lank legs over the edge. She could feel many sets of eyes on her and regretted making such a commotion. Or maybe it was the swimsuit. Whatever it was, Scarlett didn't exactly like the attention. She noticed a small group of girls at a table sneering at her and whispering. She remembered them dissing her last time she'd visited. They reminded her of typical Upper East Siders.

Scarlett quickly looked away and her eyes landing on Logan. He was staring right back at her, but not into her eyes. His brown eyes were roaming her body voraciously. Scarlett fought the blush coming on.

"It's rude to stare," Scarlett said coolly. Logan realized she was speaking to him and turned away. His face was red as hell. _He's lucky his little girlfriend didn't see_, Scarlett thought.

Camille popped out of her seat. Her facial expression was unreadable, but it certainly wasn't one of content. Her jaw was clenched and her hands folded into fists. "I think I should go study my script," she declared. She looked down at Logan , her eyes piercing into his. "Don't bother following me." She stormed away.

So Camille _had _noticed. _Victory is sweet_, Scarlett thought, smiling.

Logan didn't follow his girlfriend. He knew better. He had to wait for her to cool off. Then he'd swoop in with a tray of hot-out-of-the-oven pizza bagels and an apology. He watched as Scarlett pulled herself out of the pool and returned to her seat.

James put his elbows up on the pool ledge and grinned stupidly at Scarlett. "You look hot." Logan rolled his eyes.

A smile played on the ends of Scarlett's lips and she fiddled with a string on her bikini top. "Don't I know it," she laughed. She glanced over at Logan, who was fighting to look away, before turning over on her stomach, exposing her back to the sun. Yup, she definitely still had it.

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

Around nine o' clock, Lucy Stone trudged into the dark, empty pool area. She scanned the space for her roommate. She really didn't care that she wasn't at the apartment, but she was curious what she was doing. She spotted her lying face down in a lawn chair and burst into laughter.

Scarlett was rudely awoken from her slumber. She squinted into the dimly lit pool area and locked eyes with a doubled over Lucy Stone. She was laughing like a hyena. Scarlett stretched and yawned. Lucy's guffaws were starting to irritate her. She switched her sunglasses for her trusty square-frames.

"What's so funny?" she asked dumbly, gathering her clothes and sunscreen bottle in her arms. Lucy tried to answer her. Unfortunately, she could barely breathe, let alone speak.

"Your whole backside..." Lucy wheezed, wiping her eyes, "...looks like an effing stop sign!" She guffawed, clutching her side. Her whole body shook.

"What are you talking..." Scarlett slapped her palm against her bare back and a string of obscenities left her lips. Lucy just laughed louder. "Shizz...my back is completely fried!" It was fairly dark out, but Scarlett could now see the backs of her legs and arms were indeed stop-sign red.

Scarlett would've laughed about it any other day. The whole situation was quite ridiculous. She had a farmer's sunburn, for Pete's sake. But she couldn't just laugh this off today. She was angry. Like slam-someone's-tongue-in-a-car-door angry.

"WOULD YOU JUST SHOVE IT?" Scarlett hollered. She tucked her clothes into one arm and shoved Lucy backwards with the other. Lucy bumped into a table, her chuckles fading.

"Calm down," Lucy muttered, crossing her arms. Scarlett's left eye twitched and her hands balled into fists.

"Don't effing tell me to calm down!" Scarlett screeched. She wanted to hit Lucy, but she restrained herself. "You're such a jerk!"

Lucy's mouth dropped open. "How dare you call me that after what you did to me! You totaled my favorite guitar and never even bothered to apologize. Do you even remember?"

Scarlett anger dissipated. Now she was just confused. "Guitar?" she whispered, her forehead wrinkling.

A flashback from about two years before started playing in Scarlett's head. She remembered a girl a few years older than she was shredding on the guitar. The girl had been auditioning to play in the live band for concerts. Scarlett remembered wanting to play as well as her.

Backstage, her manager had told Scarlett that the girl was really an actress for a publicity stunt. Scarlett had been instructed to pretend to hate the performance and smash the guitar to smithereens. So she did. The actress had lunged at her and Scarlett would've been mauled to death if it hadn't been for security.

The flashback ended and Scarlett's eyes popped open. "Oh my gosh," she breathed, "That was you. You were the girl who auditioned-"

"For the tour," Lucy growled. She stepped closer to Scarlett, who stepped back. "That was my first and only guitar then. I'm not a rich, spoiled brat from the Upper East Side like you. I couldn't just go out and buy another one!"

Scarlett faltered. Tears filled her eyes. She blinked and they rolled down her cheeks. "Lucy, please believe me when I say this: It was all staged."

"What?"

"My manager told me you were acting and it was all just a publicity stunt. That the guitar was just a prop," Scarlett babbled nervously. She was about to get punched, she just knew it. Her lips were moving quickly and she wasn't really sure what she was saying.

Lucy frowned and brought her hand up to her lips. "So...you were duped by the record company you were signed to? You didn't know the guitar was worth anything?"

Scarlett shook her head vigorously, nearly giving herself whiplash. "Yeah. That's why I left. I couldn't take it any longer." Lucy looked shaken. Scarlett moved closer to her and winced. _Damn sunburns_, she thought.

"You shouldn't have stayed with that record company for so long," Lucy said sourly, regaining her composure. "They made you look like-"

"A bitch? Slut? Whore?" Scarlett replied. "I've been called all those names and many more. I know what people see me as. But I was only thirteen when I signed. I didn't know if I'd ever get another offer like that one." Scarlett sighed and stared at the tiles. "I conformed to what the company wanted me to be and became a sellout."

"At least you quit," Lucy pointed out, trying to be sympathetic. "I still don't know exactly how I feel about you, but you made the right decision," She gave a weak smile, "Even if it was a little late. I've had Hollywood try to screw me over, too."

Scarlett fidgeted with a loose thread on the pair of shorts she had crumpled in her hands. "I can replace your guitar if you want. It wouldn't be any trouble."

"No thanks. It was...irreplaceable." Lucy jammed her fists into her pockets.

She started slowly walking towards the entrance. Scarlett hesitated before following her. Her steps were strained and laborious. Lucy glanced back at her and grinned.

"Don't laugh," Scarlett warned her. She almost started laughing herself. "I'm so stiff it's sad." Lucy tried to hide her smile. She was unsuccessful.

"Didn't you wear sunscreen?" Lucy asked.

"I did and it failed me," Scarlett groaned, "Would you happen to have any sunburn cream?"

Lucy shook her head from side to side. "Sorry. I think the guys in 2J might, though. Mrs. Knight goes a little crazy with her sun protection."

Scarlett groaned again, much louder this time. Lucy's amused expression wasn't helping. "I cannot go over there looking like this." Lucy snickered.

"Oh yeah, they're gonna have a hoot," Lucy added. Scarlett scowled at her, her grip tightening on the sunscreen bottle in her hand. "What? It's true!"

Scarlett's eyes did an exaggerated loop. "I'm going up to 2J. G' night." Lucy watched Scarlett disappear up the stairs.

Scarlett found herself on the second floor a few seconds later. She was frustrated that she remembered exactly where 2J was. _I'm so pathetic_, she thought.

As she knocked on the door, she prayed that it wouldn't be Logan that answered the door. She missed him, and it pissed her off. What he had done to her was unforgivable.

Ironically, it was Logan who answered the door. When he saw Scarlett, his mouth parted slightly and his eyes blinked. It still amazed him how different she looked now. He couldn't speak.

Scarlett swallowed hard. Her mouth had gone dry and she knew she was sweating like crazy. She took in Logan's appearance, slowly scanning him up and down. He was wearing a worn, faded blue t-shirt with a hole in the hem and athletic shorts. His eyes were bloodshot and red. Up close, he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Do you plan on just standing there?" Scarlett asked, her attempt at sounding irritated failing.

"Sorry—You just look...different. What are you doing here?" Logan finally asked. There was a tremor in his voice. It was barely noticeable, but Scarlett caught it.

Scarlett turned around so her back faced Logan. "This might answer your question." She heard Logan gasp when he registered the sunburn. It practically glowed in the dark. "Lucy told me you guys might have sunburn cream."

"Dear God, your back looks like a stop sign!"

"It's been established." Scarlett whirled around, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Didn't you wear sunscreen?" Scarlett held up the bottle in her hands. Logan squinted at it and shook his head.

"Scarlett, you were out there all day and you didn't think to reapply it?" Logan asked like he was talking to a child. "You're super pale and this is only SPF 30. It's basically ineffective!"

"I've got it, Logan," Scarlet said firmly. Logan closed his mouth. "Now can you help me out?"

After a pause, Logan opened the door a crack wider. Scarlett stepped in and realized everyone had already retired to their beds. The only thing that illuminated the darkness was the television screen. A rerun of _Three's Company _was on.

"You couldn't change before coming over here?" Logan asked, sounding agitated. "Seriously, all you've taken off are your sunglasses."

"Funny," Scarlett spat, "You seemed excited my outfit this afternoon." Scarlett saw Logan's face pale and his body stiffen. Almost immediately, he regained his composure.

"You've been a bitch all day, Scarlett," Logan said in a low tone. "You're usually not like this." He seemed almost concerned.

Scarlett stared into the carpet. "Just go get your damn cream."

Logan's unwavering gaze lingered on her. When she kept her eyes on the ground, he finally gave up and scuttled down the hall.

Scarlett let out a silent sigh. She had happened catch Logan's facial expression in her peripheral vision. He'd looked disappointed.

Scarlett was beginning to doubt herself. Was it possible that she _was_ a bitch? She tried to put this out of her head, focusing her attention on _Three's Company_.

"Hey, it's that episode where the characters get into a misunderstanding," Scarlett joked to herself, chuckling.

"Here." Scarlett nearly fell off of the couch she'd sat down on a minute before. Logan had somehow managed to sit down beside her without her noticing. He had a small, white tub in his hands.

Logan watched Scarlett read over the words on the front of the tub, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. She was fiddling with the strap tied into a bow on her hip. "Would you mind putting it on my back for me?"

Logan's hand automatically went to the back of his neck and his Adam's apple bobbed. He coughed, suddenly out of breath. "Scarlett, I don't think-"

"God, Logan, I'm not gonna try anything." Then a flirtatious smile slid across her face. "That is, unless you want me to."

Logan's face was now more red than his bloodshot eyes. "I can't believe you would even suggest about that," He sputtered. Scarlett couldn't tell if he was miffed or embarrassed.

"Can't you take a joke?" Logan didn't respond. He was too busy staring her down, his eyes burning into her. His mouth was a grim straight line. The grin on Scarlett's face was long gone. "I'm sorry, okay? I can be a bit crass sometimes." Every fiber of Scarlett's being wanted to scream at Logan, but she didn't. "Now would you just put the stuff on my back? I'm crazy sore."

Logan nodded, twisting the cap off of the tub. He deliberately moved slowly and it was getting on Scarlett's nerves. She turned away from him so she couldn't see him. She liked it better that way. Her back arched when she felt Logan's fingers on her shoulders.

"Christ, that's cold!" Scarlett exclaimed, feeling goose bumps pop up on her exposed skin. She didn't mention to Logan that the heat of his hands in contrast felt _so good_.

"Sorry," Logan muttered. He rubbed circles into the tattoos on Scarlett's shoulders with his callused thumbs. He was blushing hard and his hands wouldn't quit shaking. He didn't get why he got so disconcerted around Scarlett.

Scarlett was suddenly very aware Logan was touching her. It made her nervous and jittery. The hairs on the back of her neck spiked up as his fingers traveled down between her jutting shoulder blades. A sharp, startled frisson passed through her and she swallowed back a shudder.

When Scarlett's eyes closed, all she could see was herself and Logan back when they were dating. Kissing. Touching. Part of her wanted to hurt him and the other parts wanted to jump his bones right then and there. It was maddening.

Logan gulped when his hands neared the small of Scarlett's back. He held his breath, a little afraid he'd mess something up. Should he say something? The silence was deafening. He could hear himself thinking way too clearly. He bit down on his tongue, sliding his fingers down just a bit further-

"Logan, Mom says you should get to bed—Whoa, Scarlett!" Both teenagers jumped at the sound of Kendall's little sister's voice. Scarlett suddenly felt herself being pushed away, a tub of cream being stuffed into her hands.

"Talktoyoutomorrowbye!" Logan yelped, forcing Scarlett out the door and locking it behind her. He faced Katie and smiled sheepishly. She looked confused.

"Just go to bed, Katie," Logan sighed, messing with his already tousled hair. "I'll explain in the morning." Katie just shrugged and sleepily trudged back to her room. She was too tired to be nosy.

Scarlett stood outside of the door, breathing hard with wide eyes. "I need to get some sleep," she sighed, rubbing her left temple.

If only she knew how.


	5. Chapter 5: First Day on the Job

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews/alerts/whatever! Your input makes me soooooo happy :D**

**Chapter 5: First Day on the Job**

Somehow, Mercedes Griffin had managed to convince a sleepy Scarlett into joining her for an end-of-summer brunch. Though Scarlett secretly thought that brunch was for childless couples and the elderly, she agreed to it after about thirty minutes of whining. In the end, a table had been reserved for them at the Griddle Café.

Lucy swallowed a piece of streusel doused in powdered sugar. Scarlett had woken her up from a deep sleep that morning and begged her to come to brunch with her and her friend Mercedes. Lucy really had absolutely no desire to go, but the guilt of Scarlett totaling her guitar was eating Scarlett alive. The least Lucy could do was enjoy the free food.

"Man, I love it here," Mercedes trilled, twirling her fork between her fingers, "I remember everything from the first time I came here." Mercedes glanced around at the rusty brick walls of the restaurant and pointed at Scarlett with her syrup-covered fork. "I certainly remember you not having such nasty burns. Have you been experimenting with suntan oil again?"

Scarlett huffed, pulling her sleeves down self-consciously. The sunburn had already begun to fade, but the blistering was horrible. She'd literally stripped a whole layer of skin off that morning. "Lucy, would you care to explain?"

"She fell asleep on her stomach by the pool last night," Lucy cackled, covering her mouth. "She never reapplied sunscreen and Logan ended up having to cover her back in sunburn cream. She had to sleep-face down in her bed." Lucy paused, frowning. "You know Logan, right?"

Mercedes smiled. "Don't insult me. I _dated_ that kid for a few minutes."

Lucy's eyebrows knitted together. "You dated Logan?"

"What she did with Logan doesn't count as dating," Scarlett laughed, rolling her eyes up to the rafters. "A few years ago, she just declared Logan her boyfriend. A few minutes later, Mercedes moved on. Simple as that."

"I never would have pictured someone like you with Logan," Lucy admitted. She absentmindedly ran her hand through her red-streaked and slightly damp strands. She hadn't had the time to blow-dry after her rushed shower. "I guess I don't know Logan as well as I thought."

Mercedes' eyes suddenly lit up and she grinned wickedly. "You want to know an even stranger couple? Last summer, Logan and—"

Scarlett's stomach sank. She knew the topic would have come up sooner or later, but she'd been counting on the latter. "Mercedes, don't you dare," Scarlett warned hurriedly, "Or I swear, you'll never see me again." Mercedes just stuck out her tongue.

"Honey, you wouldn't last two days without me," Mercedes pointed out in an extremely Southern accent. Then she turned to Lucy. "Are ready to hear some dirt of the Scarlett variety?"—Mercedes put her hands on Lucy's shoulders, pausing dramatically—"Last summer, Logan and Scarlett dated."

Lucy's jaw dropped like it was hot. Her burnt-honey-colored eyes widened tot the size of saucers. "Seriously?"

Mercedes nodded, grinning proudly, while Scarlett started banging her head on the table in slow, agonizing rhythm. Lucy smiled, amused by the scene. "No joke," Mercedes replied.

Lucy's eyebrows spiked. "How did I not know this? Wasn't it publicized?" Scarlett shook her head from side to side, staring down at her shiny, black manicure. She was suddenly feeling depressed.

"They dated while on tour together," Mercedes blabbed, winding a lock of honey-blond hair around her finger. "They were gonna go public with their relationship, but—"

"Wait…weren't Logan and Camille together then?"

Mercedes shot her an annoyed glance. "I was getting to that. No, they were not. Anyways, near the end of the tour, Camille and a bunch of other people from the Palm Woods showed up…"

Scarlett tuned out the rest of the story. Her eyes had started stinging when Mercedes had brought up the Logan subject. Now they burned. Scarlett heard Lucy start chuckling and looked up, irritated.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

"It's just…" Lucy began, giggling, "I can't imagine Logan dating you and then cheating on you. You're totally out of his league."

Scarlett softened, smiling a little. "Ya think?"

Lucy popped a piece of mandarin into her mouth. "Well, yeah," she said, like it was obvious. "I mean, he was probably even dorkier last year and at the time, you were Miss Sexiest Woman Alive." Scarlett made a face, nearly choking on her sausage.

Mercedes had a curious look on her face. "Lucy, didn't you say that Logan rubbed sunburn cream on her back yesterday?"

Lucy nodded, confused by the question. Scarlett groaned, already knowing where the conversation was headed.

Mercedes locked eyes with Scarlett. "All over your back?"

Scarlett wrinkled her pert little nose. Lucy burst into loud laughter, drawing the eyes of other restaurant-goers to their table.

"God, Mercedes, you're such a perv," Scarlett muttered, pushing around what was left of her meal with her butter knife. The insult ricocheted off of Mercedes' untouchable ego.

"Were you wearing the swimsuit I picked out?" Mercedes asked eagerly, "The barely-there one?" Scarlett nodded, wishing she hadn't. Mercedes wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Scarlett and Logan action…"

"It wasn't that kind of massage!"

"It is when you're wearing that bikini!"

Scarlett head dropped into her hands and a muffled moan left her mouth. "Can we please stop talking about this? I don't like him anymore, okay? Besides, he and Camille are cute together." Even as she said that, her heart throbbed.

Right then, an attendee holding a platter carrying three identical mimosas approached their table. "Hey, Mercedes," he greeted cheerfully, setting the drink down. "Free Bottomless Mimosas, compliments of, well, me."

The man looked thirtysomething, with his short, fiery red haircut and twinkling green eyes. A nametag that read _Tony W._ was clipped to his shirt.

Mercedes pecked the young employee lightly on the cheek. "Aw, you're so sweet! Thanks a bunch, Tony." Scarlett smiled, relieved about the subject change.

"No trouble at all." He walked away as swiftly as he had come, retreating back behind the counter.

Lucy watched the whole exchange, feeling strangely comfortable. Popular people like Mercedes and trendy places like the Griddle Café weren't exactly her scene, but she kind of liked it. She looked away from Tony and returned her eyes to the table.

Scarlett was downing her mimosa from the massive champagne flute in her hand. Lucy's relaxed expression morphed into an alarmed one.

"Should she be drinking?" Lucy exclaimed, snatching the drink from Scarlett. The sunny yellow liquid sloshed around in its glass. "Is this non-alcoholic?" Scarlett bit down on her lower lip, averting her eyes.

"It's not that big a deal," Mercedes sighed, mimosa in hand. "You and I are both twenty and Scarlett will be eighteen next month. We're all adults here, drinking in moderation."

"Well, I guess I'm not much of a morning drinker," Lucy claimed, shrugging. She pushed her drink away to the middle of the table and sank into her chair. "So Scarlett, when will you start recording at Rocque Records?"

That was still a mystery to Scarlett herself. She was still on the fence about staying in Los Angeles. She missed the brash and fast-paced New York. The lemonade tanginess of California didn't suit her at all. There were plenty of people in Cali that she didn't want to deal with either…

"I'm not sure," Scarlett confessed, weaving her straw between the blocks of ice floating in her drink. "I'll be going there tomorrow to talk business. Image, genre, you know, stuff like that." Mercedes was checking her rhinestone-encrusted phone for the time.

Mercedes stood up, pushing her chair into the table. The legs of the chair made an awful dragging noise as they slid across the ground. "I think it's time we start going. Next stop: shopping central!" Mercedes slapped a bill down on the table and danced her way out of the restaurant.

When Mercedes turned her back, Lucy made a big show of falling over and making gagging noises at the prospect of shopping. Scarlett snickered quietly, trying hard not to cause a scene.

"Let's go," Scarlett chuckled, pulling Lucy off of the ground. "I'll protect you from the big bad UGG boots."

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Frick, frick, frick!" It was Monday, Scarlett's first day at Rocque Records, and for some reason, her defective alarm clock had never gone off. She certainly wasn't a heavy sleeper, being that she barely slept at all, but as always, the universe was against her.

Scarlett hopped into the kitchen, zipping up the back of her leather boot. Kendall had called her cell phone a minute ago, wondering where she was. He and his band mates were already getting into the limo Kelly had sent.

Lucy was calmly spooning Lucky Charms into her mouth when Scarlett came into the kitchen. She looked completely and utterly frazzled. "Why didn't you wake me?" she sighed, trying hard to keep her cool. Her uber-green eyes glowed menacingly.

Lucy stared dumbly. "Isn't that what the alarm is for?" she asked through a mouthful of marshmallow. Scarlett bit down hard on her tongue to keep from cursing. She yanked open one of the kitchen cabinets, stuffing a package of Fruit Smackers into the tote hanging from her shoulder. "Do you have to go _now_?"

"If I didn't have to go now, would I look like this?" Scarlett motioned to her bare face and sloppily-put-together outfit. Lucy raised her eyebrows and went back to eating her cereal. "I'll see you later."

Scarlett fled from the apartment. She hadn't had time to shower or put on makeup. All she could do was slide on a pair of sunglasses, gargle a cup of orange juice, and slick her underarms with deodorant. It was a wonder she even had time to spritz on her Chanel No. 5.

Scarlett ran through the lobby, ducking when a guy with surfboard tucked under his bicep turned her way. Unfortunately, she hadn't been paying attention to the girls standing in front of her. Scarlett collided with a blonde girl, sending her into two other teenagers.

"Crap!" Scarlett blurted, running her fingers through her messy hair frantically. "I'm so sorry." Her tote slid off of her shoulder and down to her elbow.

Scarlett cringed when she realized who she had bumped into. Blonde Jennifer and her following stared at her with disdain. "Nice outfit," Blonde Jennifer chuckled. "Where did the pants go?"

Scarlett had only had the time to grab the clothes that had been lying on her mattress, which were a fuzzy, oversized sweater with slashed shoulders and rust-colored cowboy boots that barely covered her ankles. She had to pull on the bottom of the sweater to cover her tall frame.

"And what's with the shades?" Dark-haired Jennifer added. "Are you hiding a hangover?" Curly-haired Jennifer nudged her, not bothering to hide her giggles.

"I really don't have time for this," Scarlett grumbled, breaking though the human chain the Jennifers had formed. "Unlike you, I don't celebrate Bitch-fest." The Jennifers watched her trudge away, jaws hanging.

"Aren't you gonna say something back to her?" Curly-haired asked. "She just called us bee-yotches. And to our faces!" Blond Jennifer, annoyed, shook her head.

"She's not worth it," she said, loud enough for Scarlett to hear.

Scarlett rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses and pushed the exit door open. The limo was waiting in the parking lot, engine running; Kelly was leaned up against one of the tinted windows. Her head rose, revealing an extremely weary expression. She heaved a sigh of relief when she registered Scarlett's presence.

"Where have you been?" Kelly asked in exasperation, "We're almost ten minutes late." Scarlett didn't reply, simply pulling her hair into a less-messy bun. Kelly tapped the toe of her pumps as she waited for an explanation.

"My alarm didn't go off," Scarlett grumbled, ducking her head. A stray black strand of hair fell in front of her face.

Kelly pressed her eyes shut and regained her calm. "Just make sure it goes off next time, capiche?" Kelly's eyes dropped to the rips in Scarlett's sparkly sweater. "And maybe wear something more…presentable."

"Yeah, sure…" Kelly pulled open the limo door, revealing four handsome boys known as Big Time Rush. James and Carlos were wide awake and caffeinated, Kendall was, well, Kendall, and Logan was falling asleep on Kendall's shoulder.

"There's room next to me," James offered, scooching over just a skosh. Scarlett smiled gratefully, crawling over several pairs of laps before reaching her destination. Logan stirred when her knees knocked into his. His eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Sorry about the hold-up, guys," Scarlett apologized, digging her rectangle-frames out of her tote bag. _Thank God_, she thought, remembering she'd slipped them into her bag the night before.

"No worries," Kendall yawned, shrugging Logan off of him. "We bring earplugs to work now so we don't have to endure Gustavo's wrath."

Scarlett grinned, leaning back in her seat. Logan let out a soft snore, snuggling into Kendall's cardigan. Kendall, fed up, buried his elbow in Logan's ribs. He sprang to life, his head thumping the roof of the limousine.

"Dude, what the hell?" Logan snapped, rubbing his noggin.

Kendall shrugged innocently. "You were invading my personal space."

"Sorry," Logan sighed sleepily, "I got absolutely no sleep last night. I feel like a zombie."

"Ugh, same here," Scarlett sympathized. Logan glanced up, surprised that she had responded. The two of them shared a knowing look before quickly looking away from each other.

Logan said something inaudible, his lips moving slowly. Scarlett frowned. "What was that?"

"Your glasses," Logan repeated, motioning to his face, "They're crooked." Scarlett fingers reached up to her glasses automatically. After adjusting them, Logan said, "They're still crooked." He reached forward to help and stopped himself, finding it too intimate for some reason.

"Hold on," James instructed. His hands were suddenly in Scarlett's vision, moving her frames around. "I think they might be defective," he said with a chuckle.

"I always forget to take them off before bed," Scarlett admitted sheepishly.

"Maybe crooked glasses will become a trend," Carlos offered optimistically. Scarlett couldn't help but laugh.

"Soon the whole world will be snapping one of the arms of their glasses and wearing them lopsidedly," James teased.

"They'd be cheaper to produce, too," Scarlett giggled.

Soon, everyone was laughing along. The limo rolled up to the curb near the entrance to Rocque Records. The building towered over them menacingly, intimidating anything that dared to approach it. Scarlett and the boys marched in confidently. Kelly trailed behind them, along with Freight Train, who had driven the car.

In the recording studio, Gustavo and Scarlett's aunt, Nova, were chatting quietly. At least, Nova was chatting. Gustavo seemed to be trying to block out her incessant blathering. He actually seemed relieved when the teens walked into the room.

"Great, time to start recording!" he blurted, interrupting Nova's story. "Dogs, get in the booth!"

Kelly stood in the doorway, purple clipboard in hand. "Nova, Scarlett, you guys are coming with me."

Nova and Scarlett followed her out of the room and down the brightly lit hallway, admiring the many awards that decked the walls.

Scarlett leaned towards her aunt. "Must you insist on boring that poor man to death?" she teased. "He may just become my boss."

Nova stuck her tongue out, nudging her niece playfully in the side. "I was entertaining him."

Scarlett suppressed a snort. "Yeah," she replied, "I could tell by the way he was ripping his nonexistent hair in fury." Nova rolled her yes, pushing Scarlett towards one of the walls. Scarlett giggled, her laugh reverberating of the walls.

Kelly pulled a jumble of keys out of her purse and plugged on into the doorknob she was standing in front of. Scarlett and Nova stood patiently behind her. A click sounded as Kelly turned the knob and pushed open the door. Inside the large room, they were now in, there was a long table, a propped up on the wall, and a pie chart. Arthur Griffin sat at the other end of the table, smiling eagerly.

Scarlett was sat down in the first seat. A steaming mug of coffee was sitting on front of her that had the Rocque Records logo plastered to the front. Nova sat down next to her, squeezing her shoulder.

"How are you, Scarlett? Are you feeling better?" Griffin asked, sitting up in his customized desk chair.

"Um, yeah, actually," Scarlett stammered, unsure of which question to answer. "I've been feeling—"

"That's great," Griffin interrupted, clasping his hands together. "Today is the day we begin the rebuilding of your image. Allow my team to take you through an interactive process of making a name."

The lights suddenly dimmed and the plasma screen in front illuminated. Nova clapped excitedly as Arthur stood, whipping a pointer from out of nowhere. Scarlett tiredly rested her head on the table and watched the steam rise from her coffee cup.

"Here at Rocque Records, we've got different sectors of people working specific areas of our talents' careers," Griffin announced proudly. He smacked the tip of his pointer against the screen. Scarlett turned towards her aunt, whose eyes were wide, mesmerized by the giant screen.

"First," Griffin continued with a smile, "I present the stylists and the marketing." A spotlight flashed onto a group of people with crazy neon hair with far too much makeup on…even the guys. The marketing team, blending into the darkness with their black and grey suits, stepped out of the corner.

"How come they get a spotlight?" the woman from the two-person marketing team asked, clearly annoyed by this. Her partner nodded along with her. "What about us?"

"You're in marketing, Alice," Griffin scoffed, "The spotlight is for the cool people." The stylists beamed, posing with hairdryers and tape measures in their hands. Scarlett rolled her eyes discreetly and she took a sip of her coffee. Though it was still scalding hot, she didn't react in any way.

"Well, you didn't let us do our dramatic entrance, so your loss," Alice muttered under her breath. "Stylists, do your thing."

A split second later, the stylists had hoisted Scarlett out of her seat. She stood in front of them, trying not to liquefy into a puddle of jelly as they critiqued her appearance.

"I can't decide if her sweater is chic or if it was eaten away by killer moths," one expressed mercilessly.

"What happened to the cute five foot six girl from last year?" another asked, "She's like the Jolly Green Giant now." Scarlett's jaw dropped and she glared at her aunt for help. Nova made a zipping lips motions, silently begging her niece not to act out.

"Did someone dip her in a vat of Wite-Out?"

"And what's with the piercings? Are you alternative now?"

"Alternative to what?" Scarlett asked, genuinely confused.

A man with a purple faux-hawk raised his hands, his fingers hovering around Scarlett's bedhead hair. "It's like a sad animal attempted suicide on her head!" he exclaimed.

"You realize I'm right here…"

Alice raised her hand, signaling the stylists to shush. "That's enough, guys." Her partner pressed a button on the tiny remote in his hand and a pie chart appeared on the screen.

"Okay, last year, you were at the top of the charts," Alice explained, "But you also had a large group of people who hated you _and_ your music…"

"This chart will help us change the minds of those people," her partner continued. "According to statistics, rap and hip-hop are rated the highest right now, as is dance-pop—"

"What do you think of this look?" a stylist asked excitedly, snatching the screen remote and pressing a button. A virtual Scarlett dressed in a sideways baseball cap, baggy jeans, and a loose crop top stood in front of them. When Scarlett reached out to touch it, the image fizzled and twitched.

"Um, yeah, I don't think so," Scarlett mumbled, shaking her head. The stylist pouted and pressed another button on the remote. The avatar spun around, turning into a neon-colored blur. When it stopped, virtual Scarlett's hair was in a long, bright purple ponytail. She was wearing gold-sequined boy shorts slung low on her hips and a metallic Lycra bandeau that was next nothing. High-heeled boots were pulled up to mid-thigh.

"Ooh, I love that!" a faux-lashed stylist screeched. Many of them murmured in agreement. Aunt Nova turned to her niece. She was wearing a pained expression. Kelly bit her nails, ruining her manicure.

Alice smiled, revealing the lipstick on her teeth. "Our test audience liked this look best, too."

Scarlett crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "Was the audience made up of horny teenage boys?"

The room fell silent. Griffin's eyebrows furrowed and his smile had morphed into a menacing scowl.

Scarlett frowned back at him. "I'm just giving my opinion. And I should be able to, since I'm part of this."

"There are some aspects of your look that you have to compromise on," Arthur said firmly. "This look is what sells, and if you want to be back on top, this is what you'll do." Scarlett's heart sank. This wasn't going to happen to her again, was it?

Scarlett freed herself from the group of stylists that had encircled her and marched up to Griffin. He was only a couple of inches taller than her, which intimidated him.

"I think you're mistaken about the definition of 'compromise'," Scarlett sneered, getting up in his face. "And if slutty clothes and bad music is what it takes get back on top, I'd rather not be up there."

Before he could retaliate, Scarlett whipped around, her pale hair brushing him in the face. She ran past Kelly and out of the room. It was hard to breathe when the air in there was so clogged up with stupidity. Nova hopped out of her seat, knocking her chair over. "Scarlett, wait!" she exclaimed, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu come over her.

Kelly sighed heavily, feeling her temples begin to throb. "Here we go again."

**A/N: There you go! I'm sorry about the delay of updates, guys. School is absolutely all-consuming. Anyways, I hope this satisfied you and I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. NOW BYE-BYE, YOU GORGEOUS POPSICLES!**


	6. Chapter 6: Out of LA

**Chapter 6: Out of L.A.**

"Thanks again for picking me up." Scarlett had just hopped into the passenger seat of her friend Mercedes' vintage baby-blue convertible. "I just really needed to get out of L.A." She and Mercedes were headed to her beach house in Malibu, her car trunk packed with all the crap Scarlett planned on dropping off there.

"Oh, no problem," Mercedes assured her. "You would have done the same thing—you know, if you could drive." Mercedes didn't bother to hide her smirk.

Scarlett lowered her vintage Lolita sunglasses, giving her BFF a look. "Okay, I could drive if I wanted to," she retorted.

"And I'm sure you could…," Mercedes trailed off in a tone that suggested that she thought exactly the opposite. Scarlett rolled her eyes, leaning against the opened window. Tall, skinny palm trees blurred as they flew by.

Right then, a tinny version of "Viva La Vida" sounded from inside of the tote lounging on Scarlett's bare thighs. She pulled her cell phone out, cringing when she recognized the number flashing on the screen.

Mercedes' head snapped towards Scarlett's phone. Her tinted Ray-Bans teetered precariously atop her artificially honey-blond head. "Who is it?"

"My aunt," Scarlett answered unenthusiastically. She buried her face in her free hand. "God, I can't talk to her. She'll make me feel bad for leaving." The phone continued to play Coldplay's "Viva La Vida", which was beginning to get annoying.

Mercedes stuck out her free hand. "Give it here," she ordered, her eyes drifting away from the road. "I'll handle it." Reluctantly, Scarlett surrendered her iPhone.

"Hi, Nova," Mercedes chirped in a perky voice, "Yes, this _is_ Mercedes. Scarlett's kind of busy right now, but she's just fine, so don't worry…Uh-huh…Yeah, we're headed to the beach house right now…"

As Mercedes spoke, the car would start to swerve slowly and Scarlett would have to keep reaching over to turn to steering wheel. When the phone call finally ended, they had arrived at the house. The beach peeked out from behind.

After hauling some bags out of the car, Mercedes led Scarlett into the ridiculously large vacation house. Even inside, the house was brightly lit because of the floor-to-ceiling windows. "I'm gonna marry this house someday," Scarlett breathed, dropping her luggage on a leather couch. "With your blessing, of course."

"We got a new pool, too," Mercedes trilled excitedly. "It's shaped like a guitar." Scarlett shook her head disapprovingly.

"This huge hunk of house is literally, like, two feet away from the beach," Scarlett pointed out. "What's the point of a pool?"

Mercedes stood there for a second, wracking her brain for a response. Finally, she said, "Ugh, screw you and your logic. Let's go change into our swimsuits."

"Viva La Vida" started playing again and Scarlett let out a groan. "Go ahead, I'll catch up with you." Mercedes left the room and Scarlett plopped onto the creamy leather futon, rooting through her bag for her phone.

Scarlett held it in front of her face, frowning at the foreign number. She suspected either Lucy or Kelly, being the only ones who had her number. She pressed the "accept call" button and held the phone to her pierced ear. "Hello?" she asked expectantly.

"Hey," a deep voice replied, clearing his throat. Anger bubbled up in Scarlett when she realized who the called was.

"Logan!" she exclaimed. "Who gave you my number?"

"Lucy," he answered hurriedly, "Listen, Scarlett, don't hang up on me. I just want to know why you left the studio."

"I don't want to talk to you," Scarlett spat, turning over onto her back. "Besides, it didn't have anything to do with you."

Scarlett could hear Logan struggling to stay calm. She spiteful grin spread across her face. "Look," he began in a measured voice, "You can't just leave because you don't agree with something. It's disrespectful…and most of the media already thinks you're a bitch. You don't want Arthur Griffin thinking that."

Scarlett wasn't going to lie: that had stung. "You don't know what they said to me! You weren't there!"

"What happened?"

"Logan, no offense, but you're the last person I'd want to talk about this. I don't even know why I'm talking to you _now_."

"…I just want to help—"

"How can you even say that with a straight face?" Scarlett interrupted angrily. "You can't claim that you care about me when, just last year, you…" Scarlett stopped, swallowing the lump forming in her throat.

"Scarlett, I'm—"

Scarlett hung up before he could finish, chucking her phone across the room. It landed on the carpet with a soft thud. Scarlett pulled her knees to her chest and gazed out the window. Suddenly, it felt as if the beautiful, warm sunlight streaming through the windows was cruelly taunting her.

Scarlett could feel a presence behind her. She whipped her head to face Mercedes, who was awkwardly standing at the top of the staircase in her vintage kimono wrap. "Was that Logan?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah," Scarlett choked out, pressing her palms against her closed eyes. Mercedes pranced down the stairs, her Lanvin sandals pattering against the hardwood. She sat down on the arm of the couch and reached out to squeeze Scarlett's shoulder reassuringly.

"Come on, you," Mercedes said, sounding upbeat. "A dip in the pool will get you out of this crappy mood. I'll make us some frozen daiquiris, it'll be all good."

Scarlett smiled good-naturedly at her friend who knew her better than anyone. Alcohol sounded really great right then. "You always know just what to say."

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Jesus, would you quit kicking her teeth in?" Mercedes exclaimed in an irritated tone. "You're acting like a child."

Scarlett tried not to giggle as her pedicurist painted her toes. She couldn't help herself. The combination of the hot water her feet were soaking in and a random pair of fingers groping her feet made her extremely ticklish. Which made her kick unintentionally.

Kelly Wainwright had invited Scarlett, Mercedes, and Nova to the spa to meet up after the disastrous event that had occurred the day before. Scarlett had been a bit suspicious, but she accepted gratefully, eager to get her chipped nail polish re-painted. After finishing her manicure, Kelly still hadn't shown.

"I think I may have to hold you down if you don't control yourself," Scarlett's aunt, Nova, joked. She blew softly on her polish-slicked nails, checking the time on her wristwatch. "Is Kelly going to be here soon?"

Scarlett shrugged. "I calmed her a few minutes ago. She said she'd be here as soon as she could."

Right then, Kelly burst through the red doors of the spa. As usual, she looked put together and professional. Not a hair was out of place. "Hey, sorry I'm so late," she apologized frantically. "My schedule's just so hectic…" She thumbs moved like lightning across the keyboard of her phone.

"Aren't you off today?" Mercedes asked, confused. Kelly fussed with her necklaces, looking away. She had told the girls that she (and the rest of Rocque Records) was of today, but it wasn't technically true. She'd had to pick up BTR early that morning without Scarlett noticing. Lying was the only way to get Scarlett to talk to her again.

"Um, yeah, but you know Gustavo," Kelly stammered, "He's a tyrant wrapped up in a slave driver." Kelly dragged a rolling chair over in between Nova and Scarlett. "Scarlett, I wanted to speak to you again about reconsidering work at Rocque Records."

"Kelly, I don't want to hear it," Scarlett protested. "I'd never been more insulted before. Yesterday was just humiliating." Scarlett ran a hand through her pale hair, closing her bright green eyes.

This didn't stop Kelly. "Big Time Rush had to go through the same things when they started out," she insisted. "Look where they are now: making their own decisions about their own careers."

"She's right," Nova added in agreement, "It isn't going to be smooth-sailing the whole way." She wrapped an arm around her niece's neck, but she shook herself out of her aunt's grasp.

"I don't want to be taken advantage of," Scarlett sighed exasperatedly. "I know what happened in the past was my own fault, but I'm not risking it happening again."

"Scarlett, trust me," Kelly said, putting her hand on Scarlett's knee. "I won't let anyone make you do anything you don't want to do."

Scarlett smiled, making everyone else around her smile with her. "That's really nice to hear."

"I'm scheduling a re-negotiation for tomorrow as we speak." Kelly texted feverishly, her bracelets jingling on her tiny wrists.

"I'll be there," Mercedes said, "I can convince my dad to do anything." She threw her head back and sighed dramatically. "He's _such_ a pushover when it comes to me."

"I'd love that," Scarlett gushed, "But I'm still going to make sure your dad signs me because he actually appreciates what I do."

Mercedes nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, yeah…but if he doesn't, I'll get him to." Scarlett rolled her eyes up to the ceiling fans, giving Mercedes a hug anyway. She shrugged in a _what-are-friends-for_ way.

"Well…" Kelly said in an excited tone, "If we're done discussing this, I've got something I want to show you." The girls crowded closer to Kelly as she removed her iPad from her bag. She faced the screen towards them, the Apple logo facing her body.

A blurry, out-of-focus photograph of Scarlett leaving the Rocque Records building graced the front page of a popular gossip blog. Below, there was a caption that read, _"Who is this mysterious blonde bombshell we spotted fleeing Rocque Records? Could it be who we think it is?"_

Scarlett grabbed hold of the tablet in shock and gaped at the screen. "How come I didn't see any paparazzi?" she squeaked.

Kelly retrieved her iPad, tucking it back into its case. "They can be very sneaky. The good thing is that from the photo, you're pretty much unidentifiable. Unless, that is, you want to be identified."

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Gustavo has a friend who's opening a dance club in LA," Kelly began, reeling Scarlett in, "And Rocque Records just happens to be invited." Mercedes screeched loudly. Various customers around her clapped their hands over their ears, Scarlett included.

"I've already got an outfit made up in my head," Mercedes squealed. Scarlett found it difficult to get as excited as her friend.

"I don't know…" Scarlett murmured, staring at the tattoo on her wrist. Mercedes shot her a look.

"You're not obligated to perform," Kelly mentioned. "BTR's all over it." Scarlett found herself slowly being tempted. Clubs meant free booze, which was always good. "All you've got to do is answer a couple of questions for interviewers. It's purely business."

"Okay, I'll do it," Scarlett decided. Mercedes hugged her excitedly. Scarlett giggled, shoving her away.

"Is it okay if I come, too?" Nova asked, sitting up in her massage chair. Kelly nodded.

"So when's the party?" Mercedes asked, bouncing up and down in her seat.

"It'll be on Sunday," Kelly replied briskly. She rose to her feet and slung her Kate Spade bag over her shoulder. Then she turned to Scarlett. "Hopefully, you'll have made the decision to stay by then."

Scarlett nodded as she watched Kelly tell the cashier to put the expenses on her tab and turn to leave. Was there really anything that could convince her to stay in LA?

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

_"Do you want me?"_

_Logan looked around the empty, white room he was in. Everything was a bit fuzzy, but Scarlett was completely visible. Perhaps a bit too visible. Logan pulled at his collar uncomfortably as his eyes traveled up and down her scantily clad body._

_Scarlett was wearing a lacy red lingerie set that obviously had no trouble fitting to her long, lean, and tattoo-decked frame. Her blonde hair was back in its curls and it was pouring down her sides. Her lips were deep red as well, contrasting with her pearly-white Chiclet teeth._

_"Do you want me?" she asked again, her dark eyebrows raised expectantly._

_"Yes," Logan blurted, surprising himself with his response. What was he doing? Why was this happening? Logan gulped as Scarlett approached him, feeling unbearably hot._

_Scarlett took his hands and placed them on her naked hips. Logan felt a chill go down his spine. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in slowly. "Then have me," she breathed. Their lips were nearly touching._

_"Logan…"_

_"Logan."_

"Logan!"

Logan woke up with a start, shooting up in his bed. His heart was racing and he was struggling to control his breathing. Kendall stood over him with a concerned look on his face. "Dude, are you okay?"

Logan immediately pulled his comforter over his thighs, worried that his body might be giving him away. "I'm fine," he murmured. But he wasn't. Logan felt sweaty, guilty, and aroused all at the same time. "What happened?"

"Well, I woke up and heard you mumbling in your sleep," Kendall explained quickly. "You were tossing and turning like a maniac."

Logan felt heat rise to cheeks. "Could you, um"—he looked away in embarrassment—"Did you hear anything I was saying?" If he had even whispered Scarlett's name in his sleep, he was in deep shit.

Kendall frowned and shook his head. "Uh, no, it was mostly just a load of gibberish. Why?"

"No reason," Logan replied, kicking his sheets away from his legs. "Is the bathroom empty?"

"Yeah, I think James just finished his"—Before Kendall could finish, Logan had left the bedroom—"…shower."

Logan raced into the bathroom across the hall, slammed the door behind him, and locked it. Kendall probably thought he was a lunatic, but he had had to get out of there. Logan hunched over the sink and stared back at himself in the mirror. As always, he had dark circles under his eyes and a weary look on his face.

Logan glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. There was almost half an hour until Kelly came to whisk them away to Rocque Records, so he could take a nice long shower. He jumped into the bathtub, adjusted the shower head so it faced him, and let his troubles go down the drain.

It wasn't working. He still felt guilty. "I didn't choose to have that dream," Logan muttered, pulling the shower curtain out of the way. "It just happened." He wrapped a towel around his waist and yawned. _Just try to relax._

Logan unlocked the bathroom door and pulled it open. He gasped when he collided with the literal "girl of his dreams", Scarlett.

Scarlett yelped, latching onto Logan as the stumbled backwards, knocking over a few bottles of James' hair-care products.

For a second, Logan just held Scarlett in his arms, keeping her from falling. Then he shoved her away. Before he could stop himself, Logan exclaimed, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Scarlett stepped back. She was a bit shocked, not only by the fact that Logan had _actually_ raised his voice, but also because he wasn't wearing anything. She couldn't stop thinking about how easy it would be to pull away the towel loosely hanging from his hips. "S-sorry," she stuttered, feeling foolish.

Logan pulled his towel tighter around him. He had never felt so exposed. "No, it's okay. You just scared me."

"Um, Kendall, he told me to, uh…" Scarlett stammered nervously. Her eyes surveyed Logan's muscular stomach and shoulders against her will. _Holy hotness!_ "He wanted me to, um…come and get you."

Scarlett pulled off her glasses, sighing in relief when Logan's image blurred. "He invited me over for breakfast, since we're both headed to Rocque Records."

"Well, I'll be out in a sec," Logan said. "Um, would you mind…leaving?"

Scarlett sprang to life, stepping out of the cramped bathroom. "Right, sorry." She pulled the door closed and continued down the hall. That moment could only be described as awkward. She could still feel his strong biceps around her.

Katie glanced up when she heard someone walking into the living room. Scarlett had appeared out of nowhere, wearing a mint-green romper that was belted at the waist with a ribbon. It had black lace on the shoulders and cutouts in the sides.

Her long legs were clad in grey socks pulled up past her knees. Spiked wedge boots were laced up to her ankles. "Hey," she greeted, sitting up.

"Good to see you awake," Scarlett said, sitting down next to her on the orange couch. "Did you wake up just to see me?" she teased.

"Don't flatter yourself," Katie scoffed jokingly. "But yes, I did." Scarlett smiled and suppressed a yawn. The Knight household felt so awake compared to Lucy's, yet she felt super sleepy.

"So where are the boys? Isn't this _their_ apartment?" Scarlett asked. She fingered at her beaded Peter-Pan-collar necklace absentmindedly, glancing around.

Katie hopped off of the couch to grab the television remote. "They went to grab some snacks from the vending machine in the lobby. Our mom might not be able to finish breakfast in time for you guys." Scarlett felt her stomach growl and tried to ignore her hunger.

"Maybe I could help out," Scarlett offered, standing. "Where is your mom anyway?"

"Right here." Scarlett swiveled around and almost backed into Mrs. Knight.

"Oh!" Scarlett exclaimed, grinning sheepishly. "Hi. It's _so_ nice to see you again, Mrs. Knight."

"Oh, you too, dear," Jennifer replied half-heartedly. She crossed her arms and surveyed Scarlett uncomfortably. She had heard that Scarlett had returned to California, but she hadn't actually seen her until today. Mrs. Knight wasn't really sure if she wanted her there.

Scarlett hadn't exactly shown herself as a great role model the year before. She had gotten drunk, crashed a car, and tackled a girl all in the same night. Mrs. Knight normally wasn't one to judge, but Scarlett had given her plenty of reason to. Her present appearance wasn't helping much either.

Tattoos covered her bare arms and the cutouts in Scarlett's top exposed parts of her alabaster skin. She had so many piercings in her ears; there was barely any ear _left_. What did her mother think of this?

"Hey, do you need any help with breakfast?" Scarlett asked eagerly. "Kendall was sweet enough to invite me here, so I should really return the favor."

Mrs. Knight smiled, feeling a bit ashamed of her thoughts. "It's alright. I'll call you all in when I finish."

As she exited the living room, three members of Big Time Rush reentered, along with Camille Roberts. Carlos was hauling an armful of Fruit Smackers, looking as if he were about to drool all over them. Kendall and James followed behind him.

"Don't worry, guys," Scarlett assured, grabbing the Ralph Lauren bowler hat she'd left on the couch and perching it on the back of her head. "Kendall, your mom's almost done."

"Are you kidding me?" James laughed. "We just bought enough Fruit Smackers to last us the whole year."

"And the one after that," Kendall added, adjusting the beanie on his head.

"I'll eat them," Carlos murmured, staring at the fruit snacks lovingly.

"Oh, no you won't," Kendall warned, "I paid for all of those.

Camille knelt down next to him and tightened the straps on her ballet slippers. She looked up, meeting Scarlett's gaze. "Hey. You look so cute! Did you just step out of an American Eagle catalogue?"

Scarlett smiled and did a curtsy in her romper. "Thanks. I like your—"

"So where's Logan?" Camille interrupted, popping up to her feet. Her perfect dark curls bounced in slow-motion, held back by a peach-colored headband.

"Uh, he overslept. Probably still getting ready," James guessed. He reached his arms over his head in a stretch. Scarlett watched his large muscles flex, biting on her pinky nail absently. James' eyes drifted over to her and caught her staring. His eyebrows raised and he grinned cleverly. Scarlett felt her whole body heat up in mortification.

"Like what you see?" James whispered, brushing past her to get into the kitchen. Scarlett rolled her eyes and blushed simultaneously. She followed everyone else into the kitchen, leaning against the doorway.

Katie was placing a plate of scrambled eggs on the kitchen table. Kendall ruffled her hair playfully and pecked his mom on the cheek. Scarlett smiled wistfully at the scene. His family was so adorable…it made Scarlett wonder where the father was. And what her own father was doing.

"Sit with me," Katie ordered, pulling out the chair next to her. Scarlett snatched the pitcher of OJ by the handle and placed it on the table before taking her seat. James slid into the chair on the opposite side of Scarlett before she could stop him.

Just as everyone had begun to join around the table, Logan waltzed into the kitchen. Scarlett discreetly marveled at how good he looked in the morning. His dark hair was still damp and he was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt that read "Trust me, I'm a Doctor" in big, bold letters over a thermal shirt.

Scarlett tried not to smile. Only Logan would wear a shirt with a Doctor Who reference on it. Camille looked up from her breakfast plate and squealed upon seeing her boyfriend, knocking Scarlett straight out of her daydream. Camille jumped out of her seat and flung her arms around Logan's neck.

Camille all but ambushed Logan, running her fingers through his dark hair and practically swallowing his face off.

James leaned towards Scarlett. "Is she cleaning his teeth with her tongue?" he asked with a gleam in his eyes. Scarlett lifted her hand to cover the smirk she was wearing.

"Okay, split up, you two," Mrs. Knight snapped, shaking her head. Logan pulled away from his girlfriend with a dazed look on his face. His cheeks were flushed and his hair was sticking up in all directions. Scarlett bit on the inside of her cheek in frustration. Even then, he looked sexy as hell.

Logan sat next to Kendall and Camille. He poured himself a glass of orange juice and tried to remain unnoticed.

"So, Scarlett, you're staying at the Palm Woods now?" Mrs. Knight asked, breaking the silence.

"Um, for now," Scarlett replied, "I have a place at a friend's, but I may not be staying here in California. I guess we'll see what happens…" Mrs. Knight smiled politely and lowered her eyes.

"Why don't you want to stay here?" Camille asked. A smile passed upon her face. "Is there a boy back home?"

Scarlett made a face. "As if."

"Why not?"

"The entire male population is a pain in the ass," Scarlett answered. Mrs. Knight's eyes bulged out.

"Scarlett!" she scolded. Scarlett slapped her hand over her lips.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry," Scarlett apologized, "I guess I've been in New York too long." Scarlett's cell phone vibrated angrily in her pocket. She quietly excused herself and crept out of the kitchen. A text from Mercedes lit up her screen.

_Thank God for Mercedes_, Scarlett thought. She'd felt as if she were being suffocated in that damn kitchen.

**I'm here. So is Kelly. Hurry :)**

Scarlett shoved her phone back into her pocket and peeked into the kitchen. "Kelly's here, guys. We gotta get going." Immediately, all four boys shoveled the remainder of the food into their mouths and pushed away from the table. Logan kissed Camille lightly on the lips before racing out past everyone.

James slowed his pace. Soon, he and Scarlett were walking in unison. "Are you going to join us in the limo?" James asked casually.

Scarlett shook her pretty blonde head, much to James' disappoint. "Mercedes is picking me up. She's helping negotiate with Griffin today." James nodded slowly.

"We'll miss you."

Scarlett smiled down at her shoes. "No, you guys'll find a way to survive without me. Besides, I don't think the others will really notice." James' arm brushed against Scarlett's. Her skin went all warm and tingly.

"I'll notice," James uttered softly. Their eyes locked together for a moment and then James jogged away to catch up with his buddies. James smacked Kendall's arm as he passed him. He'd been deep in conversation with Lucy until James shouted, "Would you two quit flirting and go out already?" The two teenagers blushed furiously.

A couple seconds later, Scarlett was in the shotgun seat of Mercedes' car, slipping on the pair of mirrored teashades.

"Ready to go?" Mercedes asked, wearing a matching pair.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Meanwhile, in the BTR limo, the guys had just finished singing along to the radio. Blondie's "One Way or Another" faded away and an announcer took over. James reached up to the ceiling, decreasing the radio volume.

"I think Scarlett likes me," he said randomly, smiling to himself.

Logan snorted. "What gave you a crazy idea like that?"

James reached across the aisle and flicked Logan on the forehead. "Something in the way she looks at me." He stared out the window with a dreamy expression on his face.

"Well, you can't ask her out," Carlos pointed out. "Gustavo's gotten super strict on dating coworkers ever since she showed up."

"You all know I've never been very good with rules," James murmured, closing his eyes. Logan suddenly felt irritated, but why was beyond him.

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

Scarlett stepped out of Griffin's conference room, taking a deep breath. Things were actually going well. It was just taking a while. Her aunt kept butting in with suggestions, trying to do what was best for her niece. Mercedes would keep arguing with her father for him to agree. Scarlett had asked if she could grab some coffee…by herself.

The blonde wandered through the never-ending halls of Rocque Records, set on taking the longest amount of time she could to get back.

Logan, who was in the break room, held a foam cup underneath the spout of the coffee maker. He inhaled the sweet smell of Folgers and let his eyes flutter shut.

He opened one eye, hearing someone coming down the hall. Without turning around, Logan sighed, "Kendall, I told you I could get it myself."

"Oh, so now I'm a boy?" Logan straightened up, realizing that the person in the hall was not in fact his golden-haired friend. No, this voice was a bit higher, a bit sweeter, and a millions times more playful.

Logan turned around. Scarlett was leaning against the doorway, whose arms crossed over her chest. There was a whisper of a grin on her lips and her eyebrows were raised challengingly. Logan temporarily forgot how to speak.

"I mean, not only am I a boy, but I'm Kendall?" Scarlett continued, walking slowly across the white-tiled floor. "I mean, I love the guy, but I'm pretty sure my eyebrows are way nicer than his."

Logan returned his attention to the coffee. Coffee. It was uncomplicated. If coffee had a gender, it would definitely be male. "I thought Kendall followed me," he muttered, grabbing a couple of straws.

"He didn't," Scarlett said, coming even closer. "I just came down here to grab something to drink." Scarlett came up behind Logan and reached over his arm to get a cup. She pulled back abruptly, accidentally sending a scalding hot cup of joe onto Logan's shirt.

"Shit!" Scarlett exclaimed, retreating. She reached into the napkin dispenser and pulled out more than the necessary amount. "I'm so sorry. God, I'm such a klutz."

"It's okay," Logan chuckled. Scarlett desperately scrubbed at the humongous, totally-noticeable stain, standing dangerously close to Logan's body. She could smell the wax-scented balm that kept his hair so perfectly spiked. "Um, I think you're making it worse," Logan laughed.

"I think you're right," Scarlett giggled. Her eyes suddenly widened in alarm. "Oh shit, I didn't burn you, did I?"

"No, I'm fine," Logan protested. Scarlett pulled up his shirt just a smidge, swallowing hard. His abs up close were tanned and well-defined. She noticed an angry, red bruise forming just above his navel. Without thinking, Scarlett ran her fingers over it in concern. Logan breathed in sharply.

Realizing she'd overstepped her boundaries, Scarlett let go of his shirt. "Sorry about the burn," she whispered, her neck getting warmer. She kept her eyes on the tiny blue box on his shirt. "I hope the TARDIS still works with coffee in the engine." The TARDIS was a spaceship on the show—-

Logan's eyes lit up like flashbulbs. "You watch Doctor Who?"

Scarlett pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "Occasionally. I tend to geek out in private." She paused for a moment. "I can get your shirt dry-cleaned or something, if you just give it to me."

Logan gave Scarlett a strange look. "Don't you think it would look a little strange if I just stripped off my shirt and went back to the studio?"

_I certainly wouldn't mind_, Scarlett thought. "That would make it the second time I've seen your shirtless today."

Logan cracked a smile, his cheeks turning pink. Scarlett smiled back and cocked her head to the side. Logan's smile then faded and he turned back to the coffeepot.

"So I think James likes you," Logan said after a long pause, his back facing Scarlett.

"Really..."

"Yeah," Logan answered, sipping from a new cup. "Um, do you…like him?"

Scarlett seized the coffeepot and poured herself some. "Maybe," she replied mischievously, placing her cup on the countertop.

Logan held his breath. "Are you gonna act on it?"

Scarlett tossed her hair back and made eye contact with Logan. He didn't look away. "No, didn't you hear? No fornicating with the coworkers," Scarlett hissed, staring hard at Logan. He squirmed under her gaze. "Besides, how would James and I dating concern you?"

"James is my friend," Logan said calmly. "I'm just trying to look out for him."

Scarlett's eyes darkened. "What are you saying? Are you suggesting that I'd be the one doing the heart breaking?"

"What?! No, I—"

"That's ironic being that the only cheater in this room is you!" Scarlett cried, her eyes welling up with tears. "God, why does this happen whenever I'm around you?!"

Logan stepped towards her, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "Scarlett, hold up—"

"No!" Scarlett exclaimed, ripping away from him. Logan felt an overwhelming sadness come over him as Scarlett's face turned red. "Next time you see me, just keep your mouth shut, okay?"

Scarlett raced into the hall and stopped in her tracks. She'd never even gotten any coffee.

**A/N: What did you guys think? Sorry this was so long. The next chapter is gonna get pretty wild, just so you're aware. I hope everyone had a great New Year. Thank you to each and every reviewer/favorite/follower. TTFN!**


	7. Chapter 7: Queen Bees and Troublemakers

**A/N: Hope you like :) Don't forget to review! Your input ****_makes _****this story. Thanks!**

**Chapter 7: Queen Bees and Troublemakers**

"Which do you think is better?" Camille asked, toting two wire hangers holding a pair of dresses between her fingers, "This one or this one?"

Scarlett was sitting in front of her, an overwhelmingly large beanbag very close to swallowing her whole. She and Mercedes had invited Camille, Lucy, and Stephanie to a fitting for the party on Sunday night. Scarlett sighed at stared at Camille's picks pensively.

"What kind of attention are you trying to attract?" Scarlett asked. She squirmed in her beanbag, pouting when her attempts to escape failed.

Camile bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. "Logan's attention."

Scarlett's lips flattened into a grim line. Camille had managed to stuff her boyfriend's name into every conversation they'd had. Her endless gushing was going to drive Scarlett mad.

"Go with the shimmery blue number," Scarlett decided. "It's the color he loves you in, right?"

Camille grinned, pressing the dress against her compact body. Her grateful smile was reflected in the full-length mirror on the opposite wall.

"I'll go try it on," Camille said. She bent down next to Scarlett and threw her arms around her neck. The wire hanger was jabbing Scarlett in the gut, but she smiled and sank into the embrace. She was trying to be happy for Camille…it was just hard at times.

"Next," Camille began, "We find you a dress." She then pranced away, disappearing into one of the fitting rooms. Scarlett exhaled and sent her bluntly-cut bangs flying into the air. She glanced at one if the several watches on her wrist, wondering when her aunt was going to show up.

"Have you even tried anything on yet or did you just plan on letting that beanbag eat you?" Scarlett smiled and shook her head. She shifted to see Lucy approaching in a velvety purple, bustier-style dress covered in chains (from H&M rack) and biker boots (from Lucy's closet).

"I think I might just wear a suit," Scarlett joked half-seriously. "Gosh, guys have it so much easier than us. They could look like crap and we just fall all over them." Scarlett evaluated Lucy's attire with her eyes, nodding appreciatively. "You look hot."

"Don't I?" Lucy laughed. She posed ridiculously, resembling a model with a broken leg. And arm. And maybe neck. "I'm gonna pair it with those tights with the runs in them."

"That'll look amazing," Scarlett agreed. "Now, could you do a girl a favor and get me out of this thing?" She patted the sides of the beanbag. Lucy stuck her arm out and hoisted Scarlett upwards. Scarlett brushed off her wool, tartan-plaid skirt.

Lucy and Scarlett turned to see Stephanie bound out from behind a rack of expensive clothing. The tiers of her Zac Posen frock fluttered in the air as she twirled around. "Carlos will fall down at my feet when he sees me in this!" she remarked cheerfully.

"Are you all intent on impressing a guy?" Scarlett asked, raising her eyebrows. Teenage girls couldn't help but be boy-crazy.

"Not me," Lucy insisted, adjusting the bust of her dress. Scarlett rolled her eyes.

"Why even try lying to us?" she teased. "We all know you're totally in love with Mister Eyebrows." Lucy turned away so no one could see her face burning up.

"I think you've been breathing in too many nail polish fumes," Lucy said to Scarlett, pretending to go through a rack of dresses. "There is absolutely no attraction between me and Kendall."

"Who said she was talking about Kendall?" Stephanie giggled. Scarlett cackled in delight and lifted her hand for a high-five. Stephanie smacked her hand to Scarlett's, smirking proudly.

"Do I look good or do I look good?" Scarlett's smile went even wider when Mercedes reentered the rooms, her arms spread out wide. She was wearing a saucy, leopard-print micro-mini dress.

"You look good," Scarlett, Stephanie, and Lucy answered simultaneously. The three sets of eyes shifted from Mercedes to the door. It creaked open to reveal Kelly and a couple of stylists. Scarlett's aunt trailed behind them.

Scarlett snuck away from her friends to pull Nova into a hug. "Morning, Sunny," Nova murmured, rubbing Scarlett's back up and down. Scarlett smiled; her mother had used to call her Sunny when she was little because of her bubbly personality. She missed that.

"When are you planning on moving in with me?" Nova asked, pulling away.

Scarlett let out a little sigh. "I will soon, I swear," she promised. Honestly, Scarlett wasn't sure how happy she would be living with her aunt in Mercedes' big beach house. Lucy's cramped little pad was growing on her.

Their little moment was cut short when Camille burst out of the fitting room and exclaimed, "Ta-da!" She reddened slightly when she realized there were adults in the room.

Camille looked flawless. The dress highlighted her every curve with its body-con quality. There was a long, sapphire-blue train that just barely touched the ground and a sequined neckline. Scarlett tried to shake off the feeling she knew she would feel when Logan saw her in that getup.

"Tomorrow night, we will be the envy of the entire party," Mercedes declared confidently.

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Are you okay, Scarlett? You're looking a little green," Stephanie teased.

Scarlett rolled her green eyes towards the ceiling and flicked a Cheeto at Stephanie. Stephanie had invited the girls over for a sleepover to get ready for the party that would go down the next night. Scarlett was in the process of applying an avocado mask.

"Just because you said that, I will beat you with my shoe when you fall asleep," Scarlett giggled, slathering more avocado goop on her face. "That had to be the worst joke ever told."

"Have you heard Kendall's jokes?" Lucy asked, looking down from her position on the couch, "They're terrifyingly horrible." She picked up the television remote and changed the channel to Nickelodeon.

"So when exactly does Camille get here?" Mercedes asked curiously. She pranced into the living room with a bowl of puppy chow in hand.

"She should be here anytime now…" Stephanie trailed off, glancing up at the clock. Like most days, Camille was filming an episode of a show or a commercial. It was pretty rare to see her during most of the day.

All of the girls turned their attention to the flat screen when they heard one of Scarlett's old music videos playing. Stephanie grinned and jumped to her feet, imitating the dancers on the screen. A younger Scarlett danced along in a flashy prom dress, older guys vying for her attention.

"I used to adore this song!" she sang excitedly. "It was totally my jam." Mercedes joined her eagerly, botching several of the dance moves.

_"You like the way I move, boy  
Well, get in line  
'Cause baby I'm a hot commodity  
And I don't wanna waste your time  
Got you sweating like a heat wave  
And I'm cool as ice  
You ain't never seen a girl like me  
In all your li-i-i-fe!"_

Scarlett smiled and stared at her Aztec-print toenails. She refused to meet the eyes of the girl who was singing one of her old hit songs, Queen Bee. Though it was a song she was actually proud of having written, it reminded her too much of one of the most miserable periods of her life. You never would have known with the big smile she was wearing.

There was a light tapping at the front door and Scarlett took it as an excuse to leave the room. She wiped her avocado-clad face off before unlocking the door, suddenly face to face with Kendall. The rest of BTR was behind him.

"Hey…" he began tentatively.

"What do you guys want now?" Scarlett asked bluntly. She put her hands on her hips sassily. "We told you, this is a girls' get-together. As in females only."

"Then I guess you should let James in," Carlos piped up from behind. Scarlett heard James smack Carlos behind the head.

Kendall shoved his hands into his pockets, peering into Stephanie's apartment. The girls were still dancing like idiots and dodging the pieces of popcorn Lucy was launching at them. Scarlett huffed and started to shut the door on Kendall, but he stuck his foot in the crack before she had the chance to slam.

"We have an industrial-sized bag of Sour Patch Kids now," Logan pointed out, finally speaking. Scarlett weakened at the sight of the candy. It was her favorite pig-out food and he knew very well.

Scarlett bit her lip. "Hold on," she ordered, "Let me see what the others think about this." She closed the door a tiny bit and turned towards the living room.

"The guys are here," Scarlett hollered, "They've come bearing gifts. Should I let them in?"

"Not by the hairs on our chinny-chin-chins!" Lucy joked.

Mercedes nearly tripped over the popcorn bowl to get to the other end of the room. "No, no, let them in! Those guys are delicious."

The color mounted in Scarlett's cheeks. "They can hear you!" she hissed, waving her friend away. Reluctantly, Scarlett swung the door open. The guys charged in like cattle in a stampede. Logan lagged behind, falling into step with Scarlett.

"I'm sorry about the other day," Logan whispered. He looked solemn. "And I'm sorry about everything else." Scarlett wasn't going to admit it, but she could tell he meant it.

Scarlett grabbed the bag of Sour Patch Kids. "We'll see how I feel about you when I get to the bottom of this bag." She smiled good-naturedly, tossing a handful of sugary candy into her mouth.

James, who was sprawled out on the carpeting, beamed when Scarlett settled next to him.

"So what are we watching tonight?" Carlos asked, looking through Stephanie's vast movie collection.

Lucy raised her hand, waving her butter-stained fingers. "Ha abah Wha Chks?" she suggested, her cheeks full of popcorn

"What?" Stephanie asked in a confused tone. Kendall wore the same confounded expression on his face.

Scarlett shook her head, her sleek strands brushing her shoulders. "I think she said 'how about White Chicks'?"

Lucy swallowed and pointed straight at the blonde. "Exactamundo!"

"Omigod, I love that movie!" Mercedes squealed. "I love that part when they sing—"

"A Thousand Miles?" Stephanie finished, grinning. Mercedes nodded and selected the movie from the pile.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Scarlett asked. "Pop that sucker in!"

The movie was put into the DVD player and soon, the living room was shaking with hysterical laughter. Lucy and Mercedes took the chance to quote every line they knew as the characters uttered them. Camille joined them near the end of the film, gratefully accepting the arm her boyfriend wrapped around her.

"So was this sleepover what you expected?" Scarlett asked the guys, treading across the carpet to retrieve the DVD. "Surprised there wasn't any making out or pillow fights in our underwear?"

"Says the one in her underwear," James scoffed. Scarlett glanced down, reanalyzing her outfit. She was wearing a flirty pink camisole made mostly of flimsy lace and an old pair of volleyball shorts.

Scarlett pulled her knees to her chest self-consciously. "I wasn't aware you guys would be joining our little get-together earlier," she muttered, staring into her now-empty bag of candy.

"And who said there wasn't any making out?" Kendall added. "Camille and Logan had their lips locked the whole time." Camille smiled, pressing her lips to Logan's neck.

Stephanie yawned and covered her mouth. "It's after midnight," she announced drearily. "Let's hit the hay."

"Yeah, we're gonna head back," Carlos agreed, helping Stephanie stand up. The guys filed out door, thanking the girls for the invitation. The girls had practically had to pry Camille away from Logan before closing the door. A few hours later, every girl was tucked safely into a sleeping bag, snoring softly…except Scarlett.

Scarlett looked around the darkness helplessly. Lately, her insomnia had been worsening. If she didn't get some sleep soon, she was going to go crazy.

Retrieving her cell phone from inside her pillow, she shined the tiny light around the room and tiptoed out into the hallway. As quietly as possible, Scarlett snuck into her bedroom, slipped into her bathing suit, and crept down into the lobby.

Scarlett cringed as she turned the pool lights, partly because she feared someone would catch her and partly because the brightness was burning her eyeballs. She walked slowly across the cool tile and inhaled the brisk night air. The cold nipped at her bare skin.

Something in the water moved and Scarlett breathed in sharply. She yelped when a person emerged from the pool.

"Guess someone had the same idea as me," he chuckled. Scarlett sighed in relief, clutching her heart dramatically. It was only Logan. "Scarlett, is that you?"

"Yeah," Scarlett mumbled, pulling at one of her bikini straps.

"Are you sure you're not stalking me?" he asked in an amused tone.

Scarlett snorted obnoxiously, sitting down on the pool ledge. "Trust me, if I were to stalk someone, it certainly wouldn't be you." Logan pulled himself out of the water, his eyes adjusting to the fluorescentness. He squinted to get a good look at the nighttime intruder.

Scarlett was wearing a strapless pearlescent Eres bikini, staring at the moon thoughtfully. Her feet were completely submerged in the refreshingly freezing water.

"So, uh," Logan began, grabbing his towel, "What are you doing out here? It's nearly four A.M."

Scarlett licked her lips absently. "I, um"—she paused in hesitation—"I couldn't sleep."

Logan's face changed and Scarlett could tell he understood. "Neither could I." Scarlett looked over as Logan sat down beside her. "So how long has it been?"

"Months," Scarlett admitted, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders, "I used to be able to get through the day without feel tired at all, but now, all I can feel is exhaustion. It's horrible."

"You don't even have to explain it to me," Logan insisted, shaking his head. "I get it. Have you tried any medication?"

"Of course," Scarlett groaned, "Have you tried Ambien? I did, but it made me nauseous and shaky."

Logan nodded vigorously in a way that said _I know, right?_ "Ugh, Rozerem is even worse. It knocks you right out, but then"—

"You're tired as hell in the morning," Scarlett finished knowingly. "I'm pretty sure I ate breakfast while I was asleep." She leaned back and rested her head on the tile floor, closing her electric green eyes. Logan looked around consciously before doing the same. While still being close, the two teenagers kept their distance from each other.

For a while, they just laid there in silence, blending into the night. Scarlett was surprised when she heard Logan leap to his feet. Her eyes popped open and he was standing on the diving board. A smile slowly spread across her face as Logan bounced tentatively.

"You wanna see something cool?" he asked. The giddy grin he was wearing was making Scarlett tingle all over.

"What—you can dive?" Scarlett asked incredulously.

Logan reached his muscle-ridden arms above his head. _I guess I'm about to find out_, Scarlett thought.

Logan's stomach muscles rippled as he gathered momentum. He then dove into the water, cutting through the still surface with his perfect form.

Scarlett brought her hands together and started clapping wildly. Here eyes were aglitter when Logan surfaced. He swam over to the edge and wrapped his hands around Scarlett's slim, alabaster ankles. She jumped away, squeaking.

"What?" Logan asked, laughing. "You're in your bathing suit. You obviously wanted to get wet."

"Yeah, well, I'd assumed I'd be alone." Scarlett walked around the pool's edge, teetering precariously as if on a balance beam. She spread her arms out on either side of her body to steady herself.

Logan took the chance to try again, lunging for the girl's arm. Scarlett squealed as she took a tumble into the pool. Her lanky arms flailed animatedly while she fell through the air. She crashed into the water, disturbing the quiet of the night.

Scarlett came up from the water with a flurry of giggles bubbling out of her. "You're horrible!" she exclaimed playfully. She slapped the surface of the water with her palms, sending a tiny wave in Logan direction.

"Is that the best you can do?" he challenged, splashing Scarlett back. Scarlett closed her eyes and shielded herself by crossing her arms.

"You're _so_ going down!" Scarlett scooped up as much water as she could to launch at Logan, but he latched onto her wrists and lifted them over her head. Scarlett struggled to escape, pulling towards the pool ledge.

"Let go!" Scarlett shrieked, yanking her arms backwards and inadvertently yanking Logan into her. The two of them stared at each other in a sweet silence for a full three seconds. Logan's chest was pressed against Scarlett's in a more-than-friendly way…

Scarlett yanked away in alarm, her heart beating like a hammer. "Holy crap," she thought aloud, "I didn't mean to—"

"I know," Logan breathed, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "It's fine, really."

"I should go," Scarlett muttered in embarrassment. Scarlett stood up and speed-walked back into the Palm Woods. She didn't bother saying goodnight.

Logan groaned dramatically and pulled his entire body underwater. That girl was a troublemaker…and he kind of liked it.

**A/N: Sorry, I guess I lied. I had meant for this chapter to be the "party" chappie, but I needed a filler before I got to that part. It'll be the next one, I promise :)**

**Music Mentioned:**

- **Queen Bee by Rochelle Diamante**


	8. Chapter 8: Enjoy the Show

**A/N: Sorry again about taking so much time to continue to the next chapter. For those who have been telling me to update my other stories, I plan to get to it...hopefully...**

**Chapter 8: Enjoy the Show**

"Could that stupid machine be any louder?" Lucy groaned. "I'm trying to practice." She held up her electric guitar (not the one Scarlett had trashed) to reinforce her statement.

Scarlett looked up from her work, adjusting the half-rimmed glasses she had opted to wear that day. She had never found a dress she liked at the fitting, so she'd stopped at the beach house and packed the several trunks of her mother's old clothing into Nova's car.

Her aunt had ended up finding a gorgeous dress that Scarlett's mother had worn on the red carpet before a big music event. It was cool, but Scarlett was intent on making it look even better. She went through her luggage until she found her mini sewing machine and started working her magic.

"I'm sorry," Scarlett muttered, "But the party is in a few hours and I still haven't finished my outfit. You don't want me to go wearing nothing, do you?"

Lucy chuckled, plucking at her guitar. "That would be quite a show."

Scarlett shook her head in frustration and went back to her dress. Lucy set her guitar down on her mattress, standing so she faced Scarlett.

"You need to go take a break," Lucy commanded, motioning to the door. "Stress will ruin your work. You've got time, okay?"

Scarlett nodded slowly and ripped herself away from her masterpiece. Lucy was right. The only time she'd even stepped out of the bedroom was to take a shower. Scarlett stopped by their front door and picked the pair of pointy-toed pumps from the endless pairs of shoes that were piled near the entryway. The bright yellow leather made her feel more awake.

In the lobby, she spotted the smoothie beverage cart. There was one last cherry-lemonade slushie, her favorite flavor. She strode past the front desk while checking her watch as she walked. Maybe she _could_ get her dress done on time.

Scarlett reached for the plastic cup just as someone else did. The arm was tanned and buff and belonged to James Diamond. She glanced up in surprise, causing a smug, teasing grin to spread across his face.

"Were you about to...?" he trailed off, motioning to the slushie.

"Yes, so you're going to have to find another—"

James cut her off, wrapping his fingers around the cold beverage cup and bringing it to his ever-so-pink lips. Scarlett's mouth dropped open .

"What the hell, James?" Scarlett exclaimed in annoyance. She couldn't hide the faintest tinge of a smile she was wearing.

"Guess you can't have it now, can you?" he teased, biting his lip flirtatiously. He was caught off guard when Scarlett snatched the cup from him.

Scarlett licked the rim of the cup, finished of the slushie, and smiled victoriously. She tilted her head challengingly and her bangs fell across her eyes.

James shook his head, laughing. "You just licked my saliva."

"Yeah, so?"

"I think that's the closest we've ever come to kissing," he pointed out, moving subtly closer. Scarlett reddened and turned away.

"Um...I-I should really get back...to what I'm doing," Scarlett stuttered nervously. She managed to regain her composure and say, "Maybe we can continue this at the party tonight...?"

James smiled. "I'd like that."

Scarlett smiled back and turned towards the stairs. James watched her little hips sway as she walked away, plotting his next move.

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Scarlett, we are officially beyond the bounds of being fashionably late!"

Scarlett breathed out an exhausted sigh, sending her wispy bangs flying into the air like leaves swept up by an autumn wind. There was a glamorous gaggle of girls waiting for her in Lucy's living room and she still hadn't finished sewing her dress.

"I'll be there in a sec!" Scarlett called back to Camille. Scarlett knew this was a bold-faced lie. She hadn't done her makeup or her hair and, at that moment, she had absolutely nothing to wear.

"Hold on, just hold..." Scarlett trailed off when she noticed that Mercedes, Lucy, Camille, and Stephanie were all staring at her through the doorway. Scarlett grinned sheepishly, fiddling with her double-fingered, handlebar-mustache ring.

Mercedes teetered into the room on her four-inch heels and sat down on Lucy's bed.

"Honey," Mercedes began, "It doesn't seem like you're going to be finished anytime soon. Our ride is outside _right now_."

Scarlett slid her glasses off and rubbed her temples feverishly. "You know, you guys should just go without me. I can catch up with you later."

"Are you sure?" Stephanie asked in concern. "I wouldn't mind staying behind to help you get ready."

"Yeah, me neither," Mercedes added, trying to be supportive. Scarlett was unconvinced. Mercedes never deliberately missed a chance to let her party animal out.

"Please, go have fun," Scarlett objected with a wave of her hand, "I'll be there before you know it." While Mercedes inwardly screamed with glee, the other girls unwillingly left Scarlett to her work.

A stitch or two later, Scarlett was posing in front of the bathroom mirror in her newly-completed party dress, feeling pretty effing proud of herself. She had applied a bit of makeup to her delicate features, spritzed herself with Chanel No. 5, and picked out a pair of heels all in under five minutes.

Scarlett stared at her flat, shoulder-length bob in the mirror, running a few fingers through the sleek strands. Straight wasn't working for her. It was time for a change. Scarlett pulled open the cabinet above her and reached in, pulling out a bottle of hair dye and a plastic bag full of curlers.

"Time to do some damage," Scarlett thought aloud, scissors in hand.

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Oooh, I love this song! So glad you invited me!" Camille exclaimed. She and Logan were dancing together in the corner of the hot new Hollywood hotspot, Zeppelin.

Logan laughed as his girlfriend started doing the Bernie Mac. "Who else would I have brought?"

Camille swung her arms up and down to the beat, urging her boyfriend to dance along with her. Logan didn't dance. He was more the guy that did the side-to-side, awkward step-touch.

Camille pulled Logan's face close to her own and kissed him passionately. She felt his warm hand slide down her back, smiling into the smooch.

The commotion of the club stopped for a moment and all heads turned towards the entrance. Camille and Logan pulled apart to see what was going on.

James and Carlos, who had been dancing with some ladies up front, turned to witness the clubs doors opening. A delighted smile spread across James' face when he spotted a curly head of platinum blond.

"Wow," he breathed, suddenly feeling out of breath. Scarlett's slender body was poured into a flirty, deep red dress with a flouncy skirt that grazed her tattooed thighs as she moved.

The dress hung off of her shoulders, clinging to her long arms. The neckline plunged provocatively to her breastbone. Her pale, porcelain shoulders and neck were just asking to be kissed. Her once-plain hairdo was gone, replaced by a head of bouncy blonde curls, hints of black locks peeking out.

Camille raised her eyebrows, slightly miffed. Scarlett managed to be sexy without even trying: the way she simply stood there, daring the entire male population _not_ to rip her clothes of on the spot.

Camille glanced up at her boyfriend and was extremely pleased to find that her boyfriend was gazing right back at her. He squeezed her dainty hand tenderly.

Scarlett took a deep breath and took in the high energy of the club. The 808 was pulsing as the speakers throbbed and the flashing lights were making her dizzy. Dizzy in a good way.

Scarlett's aunt, her ride to the club opening, tapped Scarlett on the forearm. "I'm just gonna check in our coats," she yelled over the ear-drum-bursting music. Scarlett nodded and stepped in tentatively. Almost immediately, she was ambushed by Mercedes.

"Omigod, you look _so_ kah-yoot!" Mercedes screeched, hopping up and down. Scarlett giggled as Mercedes continued to gush.

Lucy and Stephanie came up behind them, both wielding glasses of punch. "You're finally here!" Lucy remarked. She gave Scarlett a once-over of approval before dragging her and the rest of the girls over to their booth.

"I'll go get the others," Stephanie said, leaving the table. One by one, the members of BTR—along with their guests—trickled into the seats. The fit was tight, but the Jennifers had managed to find a way to conserve space. Stephanie stared dejectedly at the curly-haired Jennifer sitting in Carlos' lap.

James glanced around from his seat next to Kendall and noticed that Scarlett had retired to the next table, obviously not loving the crowd at their own. She looked lonely and hot as hell, a combination James loved. _Going in for the kill_, he thought, adjusting his collar.

"'Scuse me," he interrupted, climbing over the table. Dark-haired Jennifer shrieked as James moved past her. She was obviously already drunk.

Scarlett felt someone's hands go over her glasses, blinding her sight. The person leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Hey, sexy" in a low voice.

"I know that's you, James," Scarlett replied, peeling James' fingers from her glasses. She smiled like a tease and patted the spot next to her on the table. James gladly accepted the seat.

"You're looking nice yourself," Scarlett said, admiring James' Armani suit, "You clean up really nice. I'm impressed."

"How impressed?" James pressed, taking one of Scarlett's curls in his hands. He leaned in slowly as Scarlett cocked her head ever so slightly to the left. Scarlett knew that James knew what he was doing and she was thinking about just maybe letting him do it...

The sound of Nova clearing her throat caused the teens to spring apart. "Hi," Nova said tersely, her eyebrows raised. She gave them both stern looks.

"We'll see you later, auntie," Scarlett mumbled briskly. She gripped James' hand and led him out to the dance floor to avoid a scolding from her aunt.

"Let's dance," Scarlett yelled out over the music. She slid her hands down to James' wrists and let go, spinning around like a top. James' eyes traveled over her lanky legs as her skirt flew up and puffed out like an umbrella. Her glasses were falling off her nose, but she didn't seem to have a care in the world.

Logan, who had completely disengaged from the conversation his girlfriend was having with Lucy, found himself watching Scarlett and James in the middle of the dance floor.

The more furiously Scarlett's hips moved, the closer James grew to her. Logan felt extremely annoyed by this and, for the life him, he couldn't figure out why. He ripped his eyes away from them. It was too frustrating to think about.

A little while later, everyone met up at the booth to eat. They were all waiting for drinks and chatting about what they thought of the club. Scarlett was sitting on the edge of the booth seat, trying not to fall out.

"So when are you guys performing?" Stephanie asked curiously. Her ebony tresses were hanging around her shoulders; she'd been dancing all night with Carlos and her up-do was now more of a down-do.

"It shouldn't be too long now," Kendall replied, taking a crispy, golden fry from the appetizer plate of them in the middle of the table. "That's when all the journalists and vloggers start flooding in."

"Don't forget the hipsters," Lucy added.

"Scarlett, are you performing?" Blonde Jennifer asked, almost looking genuinely interested.

"Uh, no, I don't plan on it," Scarlett replied, looking away. "This is BTR's night. Plus, my voice is pretty rusty, so I'd sound pretty bad…"

"Yeah, you'd probably be a hot mess anyway…" Blonde Jennifer murmured, holding in giggles.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Please, as if you're any better. You would suck ass if you were in her place."

The Jennifers huffed haughtily, ignoring the rocker's comment. Lucy smiled and stuck a fry into her mouth.

"Scarlett, don't be so modest," James insisted, "We all know you'd sound amazing up there." He nudged her gently and she tucked a curl behind her studded ear.

Scarlett smiled and the corners of her blood-red lips turned up. "You're too sweet, James," she laughed, laying her head on James' shoulder, "Seriously, stop it."

"Aww, look at them," Camille whispered to her boyfriend, shaking her head, "They are so cute together. Don't you think so, Logie?"

Logan's head snapped up upon hearing his name. He had managed to drown out everything that had been said in the last five minutes. "What did you say?" he asked, facing his girlfriend.

Camille made a face. "I said, aren't James and Scarlett adorable?"

She blinked at him expectantly. Logan didn't want to admit it; he didn't think the two complimented each other at all. Every time they acted all chummy together, he felt an irritating twinge in the pit of his stomach.

He opened his mouth to respond, but before he was able to, Scarlett blurted out, "I'm gonna go look for my aunt. She's been in the bathroom for ages." She stood up and stretched her arms.

"Scarlett, behind you!" Carlos piped up, pointing in the direction over her shoulder. The waiter had emerged from the bar with a tray of drinks in hand and Scarlett, not knowing this, whirled around just in time to crash into him. The tray fell from his hands when Scarlett turned and her shoulder knocked into it.

Crystal tumblers filled to their rims with frothy, golden liquid smashed as they hit the ground, shattering. Unfortunately, the bulk of the bevy had ended up all over the front of Scarlett's frock.

"Crap! I am _so_ sorry," Scarlett apologized profusely. She stooped down beside the waiter who was now on his knees. When she attempted to help with the mess, he waved her away.

"Do you know how much those things cost?" he asked angrily. His eye twitched sporadically as he screamed at her. "This might just cost me my job!"

Mercedes stood up in her seat and glared menacingly at the waiter. "Do you know who you're speaking to?" she gnarled in a pinched voice.

The waiter scoffed. "Who is that?"

Mercedes smiled wickedly. "The daughter of the guy who is funding this opening party. And with a mouth like that, I could get you fired on the spot just for talking to my friend the way you did."

Carlos whooped, cheering Mercedes on. Stephanie buried her head in her arms and pretended she wasn't associated with the people at the table.

The waiter's face blanched and he backed away, stumbling over his own feet. "Sorry, miss," he murmured, embarrassed, "I'll bring you your drinks right away. On the house."

Mercedes nodded; she was satisfied. As the waiter scurried away, Mercedes squeezed out of the booth. The glass crunched under her stilettos as she removed her studded leather Burberry Prorsum jacket and handed it to her soaked friend.

"Use it to cover the stain," she instructed, fixing the collar.

"Thanks, Mercedes." Scarlett sat down on her edge of the booth and sighed. "I don't think I could be more of a klutz," she complained. She crossed her arms and laid her head on them, burying her face in the table.

"Well, yeah, but that's what we love about you," Lucy persisted, patting Scarlett on the back. Scarlett just groaned louder.

Not too long after that, various bottles of alcohol started littering the table. Waiter after waiter had been bringing them to the teens after Mercedes' outburst. When Nova finally made it back to the booth, all of the labels had been peeled off the bottles.

"What up with the alcohol?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

"A waiter spilled our drinks on Scarlett," Camille began.

"So Mercedes yelled at him for being rude," Lucy continued.

"And we scored free drinks all night!" Mercedes squealed, grabbing a bottle of Absolut Vodka by the neck.

"I don't think so," Nova said. She snatched the bottle from Mercedes' grip and gathered the rest of them into her arms.

"Auntie, what are you doing?" Scarlett asked in exasperation. Most of the time, Nova was totally laid-back. When her strict side came out, it was a little scary.

"Returning these to the bar," she shouted, heading towards the front. When she was out of earshot, Mercedes dove under the table and grabbed her purse.

"Good thing I saved one," she giggled, revealing a bottle of Grey Goose, "I'm gonna go tell our waiter to deliver our free drinks to my daddy's table. We'll grab them from there."

Logan didn't get what was so great about underage drinking. All of them were too young for it anyway. He'd never been the type who bothered to break the rules.

"You wanna dance while we wait for our food, Camille?" Logan asked. He was desperate to get out of the booth.

Camille took her boyfriend's hand and he led her out of the booth. "Let's do it," she replied, shaking out her glossy, brown ringlets.

"Scream and Shout" by Will. and Britney Spears started blaring through the speakers. "Ugh, the lyrics are horrible, but the beat is so infectious!" Mercedes yelled over the song. "Let's go dance, everyone!" Mercedes coaxed everyone out of the booth and onto the dance floor.

Scarlett threw her hands up in the air and lost herself in the music. She and Mercedes sang along to every single song, even if they didn't know the words. The tattoos covering Scarlett's legs danced around as she moved. Foreheads glistened with perspiration and hearts were thumping like the 808.

The sound of feedback screeched and all heads turned towards the stage. One of the waitresses smiled sheepishly, wielding a microphone. She tapped on it cautiously before speaking into it:

"Big Time Rush will be performing in five minutes, guys!" she exclaimed. "Get excited!" The crowd went abuzz with chatter, wondering what song the band would be showcasing. Through all of the noise, Scarlett heard her friend silently utter "Uh-oh."

"What's wrong?"Scarlett inquired. She glanced around the club, struggling to follow her friend's gaze.

Mercedes raised her arm and pointed towards back. Carlos was on the ground, clutching his leg and writhing around in pain. Stephanie was bent down over him. The piteous look she was wearing as she rubbed his arm was kind of sweet.

Scarlett and Mercedes rushed over. Their high heels clacked as they raced towards Carlos.

"Carlos, can you move your leg?" Logan asked. He had immediately gone into doctor mode upon discovering his best friend's injury.

"Not really," he croaked. He carefully pulled up his pant leg and revealed his ankle. Everyone breathed in sharply; his ankle had swelled up to the size of a grapefruit. Logan touched the injury and in response, Carlos bit down on his bottom lip to keep from swearing.

"I don't think it's broken, just sprained," Logan diagnosed. James and Kendall grabbed Carlos by the arms and hoisted him up on the count of three. Carlos fussed powerlessly.

"How'd this happen anyway?" Mercedes inquired. Everyone looked towards Stephanie, who'd been dancing with Carlos.

She shrugged helplessly. "He was trying to break dance—"

"Trust me, that's all we need to know," Lucy interrupted. Carlos was pretty predictable.

Logan sighed and shook his head. "We gotta get him to the hospital," he decided, taking Camille's hand.

"It's okay, really," Carlos insisted persistently, "I wanna stay and perform with you guys."

"No, you need to get a cast and maybe some crutches," Kendall said. He slung Carlos' arm over his own shoulder to keep him up.

"Yeah, forget about the performance," James added.

Carlos made a pouty face. "This wouldn't have happened if I'd been wearing my helmet," he grumbled.

"Helmet's don't go on your ankles," Curly-haired Jennifer pointed out.

Mercedes leaned towards her. "I think he might have landed on his head one too many times."

Nova, who had just received a text from her niece, flew to the scene. "Okay, who's hurt?" she panted, her cheeks flushed red. Carlos raised his hand tentatively. Nova nodded. "Let's move out, people."

Stephanie announced she was going along, too. "Wait!" Scarlett broke in, causing everyone to pause. "If you guys are leaving," she continued, "Who's performing?"

No one spoke for a moment. They had completely forgotten about that when Carlos got hurt.

"Hey, why don't you sing?" James suggested. It took Scarlett a couple of seconds to realize he'd been speaking to her.

"W-what?" she stammered, "You're kidding, right?" She felt jittery and on edge all of a sudden.

"Scarlett, please, just do this for us," Logan pleaded. The way her green eyes were burning through his own had almost made him say "just do this for me."

Lucy glimpsed at Scarlett to see her anxious countenance. She stepped forward, putting her hand on the pale-haired girl's shoulder.

"I'll go up with you," she offered, "It'll be fine."

After a hesitant silence that seemed to last forever, Scarlett agreed. "Let's go before I change my mind," she grunted. She and Lucy then started towards the front of the club..

"Hold on a sec," James said softly to Kendall. He broke away from his friends and caught up with Scarlett. She gazed at him questioningly.

James stood awkwardly in front of her with his hands together before proceeding to ambush Scarlett in a warm embrace. After the initial shock wore off, she melted into the hug.

James pulled away after a second or two. He smiled a goofy grin and ran his fingers through his bangs, messing them all up. "You're gonna do great," he murmured. He ran off in the other direction just as the bloggers and photographers started flooding in. You could tell by the excessive denim and the lack of mainstream brands.

"Scarlett, come on!" Lucy whispered, peeking out from behind the curtain. Scarlett clomped up the stairs and stepped backstage to join her. The club employees crowded around her.

"What's going on? Where's BTR?" one asked.

Lucy and Scarlett shared uneasy glances. "Uh, one of them got hurt and they all left to get him taken care of," Lucy replied, smiling politely.

"This is a disaster? Who's gonna sing now?!" another wailed.

"We are," Scarlett announced, "Don't worry, we've got this under control. Just let us handle it."

Lucy pointed to the guitar sitting in the corner with a bunch of other instruments. "Can I borrow that?"

A timid bartender stepped forward. "Go right ahead," she answered, "Just as long as you be careful with it." She unlocked the case and let Lucy pick it up and sling the strap over her shoulders.

"Scarlett, you need anything?" Lucy asked.

Scarlett's mind went blank. She didn't even know what she was singing. "Just grab me the keyboard. I'll tell you the chords when I cue you." Scarlett hurried out onto the stage and grabbed the microphone from its stand, silencing the deafening crowd.

"Hey, unfortunately, BTR isn't able to perform," Scarlett began. The crowd made some noises of disappointment and annoyance.

"...But that doesn't mean we don't have any entertainment for you tonight," she finished, smiling mischievously. Without delay, two waiters carried out a pair of stools the instruments in tow. A waitress set up an extra microphone stand at the edge of the stage.

Scarlett uttered a silent thanks. Lucy sat down beside her on her stool, positioning the borrowed guitar in her lap. "So what are we performing?" she whispered, tuning the instrument.

Scarlett thought for a moment. "Do you remember the song you had to learn for my tour audition?"

Lucy snorted. "How could I forget it? It was one of the only songs by you that I actually liked," she returned. "Just gimme my cue when you're ready."

"Great," Scarlett breathed. She peered out into the audience, seeing no familiar faces but the Jennifer's. That was the way she preferred it. When you were performing in front of people you didn't know, it was more comforting. You didn't have to deal with the face-to-face backlash the next day.

Scarlett cleared her throat. "Hi, uh, my talented guitarist here is named Lucy Stone and my name is Scarlett"-Scarlett paused, suddenly hesitant to introduce herself as the same person she was a year ago-"Scarlett Spade."

Lucy flashed her a bewildered look. Scarlett ignored it. "The song I'm singing is called 'Help, I'm Alive'," Scarlett continued. "I wrote it a while ago, but I can still relate to it. It's about being afraid." _Kinda like I am now_, she silently added.

Scarlett nodded at Lucy. She lifted her guitar pick and softly strummed at the strings. Scarlett placed her fingertips on the Yamaha keyboard, taking a deep breath and leaning towards her mic. The first verse of the song left her lips:

"_I tremble,_

_They're gonna eat me alive,_

_If I stumble,_

_They're gonna eat me alive."_

Teenagers in the crowd were swaying from side to side with the glowing screens of their iPhones thrust into the air. A wave of relief washed over Scarlett; no one was chucking rotten tomatoes yet. She closed her eyes and proceeded with the song.

"_Can you feel my heart beating like a hammer..._

_Beating like a hammer..."_

Scarlett beat on her chest with the side of her fist, creating a slow, steady rhythm. A girl with a fiery pixie cut in the front row raised her camcorder and began recording. A million tweets a minute were being sent into cyberspace.

"_Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer,_

_Hard to be soft, tough to be tender,_

_Come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train,_

_Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer..."_

The slow melody of the song suddenly turned upbeat as they neared the bridge.

"_If you're still alive,_

_My regrets are few,_

_If my life is mine,_

_What shouldn't I do?_

_I get wherever I'm going,_

_I get whatever I need,_

_While my blood's still flowing,_

_And my heart still beats..."_

The chorus repeated and the song ended, the entire club sitting their in scary stillness. Then the audience broke into uproarious applause. Scarlett exhaled; she'd been holding her breath and she hadn't even noticed. She looked down into the crowd, her glasses sliding down her nose.

Scarlett smiled a big, toothy grin and hugged Lucy gratefully. "Thank you so much," she cried over the chattering.

"Come on, that was all you," Lucy said humbly. She stood up and grabbed Scarlett by the arm, bowing together. The crowd roared for an encore.

Scarlett clutched the microphone by its stem and shouted, "You guys wanna hear another one?"

The crowded yelled enthusiastically. The decision was unanimous. Scarlett beamed and counted back from three to begin another song.

**A/N: I will update this story soon, I've already started on the next chapter. It's gonna be awesome, I promise :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Drunken Words, Sober Feelings

**A/N: My last chapter got so many visitors, but their weren't many reviews to compensate. I need your feedback so I know where to go next. What couple pairings do you prefer? Who is your favorite character? Please consider leaving a review for this chapter, no matter what you think of it.**

**Thanks to those who did review or simply liked the story enough to stay. I'll do my best to update regularly. Shoot me some ideas if you want them in the story. I make this stuff up as I go, so anything can happen.**

**Chapter 9: Drunken Words, Sober Feelings**

A couple of songs later, Carlos hobbled back into the club sporting a brand new pair of crutches from the hospital. Stephanie was right by his side, the rest of their friends trailing in behind them. Scarlett and Lucy had just finished the last chorus of a song and were currently retiring backstage.

Lucy placed the guitar back into its case and laid it down on the concrete. She sat down on one of the ridiculously large guitar amps, looking around the quiet, empty space. Scarlett rocked back and forth on the high heels of her shoes.

"Isn't your last name Browning?" Lucy asked, breaking the silence. The way Scarlett had introduced herself had been bothering her for the entire set and she just had to know why. "Who is Scarlett Spade?"

Scarlett's lips twitched, fighting a smile. "Well, I'm not the same person I was a year ago, am I?" she replied thoughtfully. Lucy kept looking at her for a further explanation. "Spade was my mother's maiden name—"

Scarlett turned away when she heard the unmistakable sound of her best friend's four-inch stilettos. Mercedes was running towards her at break-neck speed. Scarlett cringed when she felt Mercedes slam into her, throwing her bracelet-laden arms her and shrieking hysterically. Scarlett's glasses pressed into the bridge of her pert nose.

"You were so frigging awesome out there!" Mercedes pulled back and took hold of Scarlett's limp hands. She bounced around in a small circle, forcing a grin upon Scarlett's face. "There are people out there that want to talk to you. Let's go!"

Scarlett didn't even have time to say goodbye to Lucy and she got the feeling that she wouldn't be seeing her again that night. Mercedes directed Scarlett through the crowd into a mob of Hollywood news correspondents and photographers. Flashbulbs were bursting all around her and sixty questions a second were being thrown at Scarlett. A trendily-dressed woman with purple streaks in her dark hair stepped up first:

"I love your new look! It's just so old-school class!" she chirped, holding an iPhone up to Scarlett's shell-shocked face. "And I love how you mixed blonde hair with black. So hot!"

"Um, wow, thanks," she breathed, pushing her hair away from her face.

An Asian guy in glasses like her own held up a recording device. "Who made your dress?"

"Oh, this was actually a DIY project," Scarlett divulged, swishing her dress' skirt from side to side. "I made it myself."

"Your performance was perfection," a twenty-something year old redhead gushed, "Is this your big comeback in the music world?"

Mercedes nudged Scarlett gently, reminding her to smile for the cameras. "Well, someone's interested in signing me and I might take them up on the offer," Scarlett answered, winking at her friend.

"Scarlett will be able to answer more questions later tonight," Mercedes politely stated. She removed Scarlett from throng of people wielding camera phones. When they were out of earshot, Mercedes bent down close Scarlett's ear and said, "Right now, it's time to have a little fun." The two girls were headed in the direction of the reserved table of Mercedes' father, Arthur Griffin.

As promised, there was a free bottle of vodka stuffed into a bucket filled to the brim with blocks of ice sitting on the table surface. Mercedes plucked the loosened cork out of the bottle opening and instructed Scarlett to line up two glasses.

"Here we go," Mercedes said, pouring the transparent liquid into the tumblers. Scarlett hastily picked up one of them and pounded it like she hadn't had anything to drink in months. A couple drops that had escaped Scarlett's lips dribbled down her chin. The cool, crisp vodka slid down her throat lazily.

Mercedes stared at Scarlett with a raised brow. "Someone's an eager beaver," she laughed, lifting her glass to clink against Scarlett's empty one.

Scarlett shrugged sheepishly. "I just feel a bit rattled after the performance," she explained, gripping her glass. "Vodka takes the edge off, although I'd rather have a scotch." She sank into the mahogany leather of the booth seat. Scarlett could already feel her body getting loose. "So, uh, where's your dad anyway? This is _his_ table."

Mercedes fixed her focus on her Manolos, abruptly going mute. Her dad would always promise to come to all her big events, but at the last minute, he would _always_ back out at the last minute. "He couldn't make it," Mercedes said curtly.

Scarlett shrugged her milky shoulders and dropped the subject. "We should make cocktails!" she suggested excitedly. "Remember the last time we had Cosmos together?"

"Ooh, great idea!" Mercedes twittered, clapping her hands. It was pretty easy to distract her, especially when the distraction involved alcohol. "I'll go fetch the ingredients."

Scarlett threw her head back and let her eyes close. Things seemed quieter when she couldn't see. The darkness behind her eyelids enveloped her, making her feel drowsy.

When Scarlett reopened her brilliant green eyes, James Diamond, followed by the Jennifers, appeared in front of her. "Oh, hello," Scarlett said, smiling.

"Did we wake you, Sleeping Beauty?" James asked jokingly, scooting into her seat.

"Yes, actually," Scarlett shot back, feigning annoyance. "You shouldn't wake a person when they're dreaming. It's bad luck."

James rested his elbows on the smooth surface of the table, his chin in his soft hands. "What were you dreaming about?" he asked gently.

Scarlett's eyes searched James' handsome face for a minute. She had barely heard what he had asked. Her gaze left the boy when Mercedes returned, this time with a burly bartender on her arm. He was holding a platter of cocktail ingredients Mercedes had requested impatiently.

"Anyone in the mood for Cosmos?" Scarlett asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Isn't that a girl's drink?" James asked, narrowing his eyes at the frothy pink concoction the bartender was creating.

"Yeah, but we won't tell anyone," Scarlett teased, handing him the finished masterpiece.

Everyone watched as James took a cautious sip from his glass. James' wary facial expression contorted into one of pure pleasure. "It's alright," he said nonchalantly, putting the drink down.

Mercedes snorted. "Yeah, right. You thought it was amazing," she giggled, poking James' chest playfully.

"It looked like you were having some sort of alcohol-induced orgasm," Curly-haired Jennifer added. Scarlett nearly spat up her drink laughing. She was fairly sure some cranberry juice had gotten into her lungs. She removed the lime wedge from the edge of her cocktail glass and sucked on it. Her eyes squeezed shut when the tangy sourness hit her taste buds.

Mercedes took the opportunity to whip out her phone and snap a pic of Scarlett's cute, pinched face. "I am _so _posting this on Instagram!" Mercedes squealed gleefully. Her thumbnails tapped furiously across the face of her Swarovski crystal-encrusted iPhone.

"No!" Scarlett squawked, lunging across the table for the sparkly cell. Mercedes hoisted the phone just out of Scarlett's reach.

Mercedes quickly posted the snapshot to the website. "Whoops, too late," Mercedes chirped, tucking her phone back into her pocket. Scarlett stuck her tongue out at her friend and plopped back into her seat. Feeling loose and warm, Scarlett leaned against James' shoulder. James laid his head upon her pale blonde head.

"So...I was shown a recording of your performance," he said softly, his hand brushing Scarlett's fingers. "You were incredible. The audience was in the palm of your hand."

Scarlett shrugged with casual nonchalance, but her beaming emerald eyes were giving her away. It had been ages since she had even sung that song. It had never been recorded, just collecting dust with the rest of the label-rejected lyrics she had painstakingly penned. She had always loved it, even when no one else shared her opinion.

Scarlett was so close to James that when she turned her head, her lips brushed James' clean-shaven jaw. She gently pressed her lips against his cheek discreetly. James was the only one who had noticed.

Scarlett reached for the remainder of her drink. It was immediately snatched away by Mercedes.

"I think you've had enough to drink, missy," she scolded, shaking her head. "You're working tomorrow, remember?" Mercedes glanced from her friend and back to James, who were looking a bit more comfy than they did before.

That's how it had always been for Scarlett. Mercedes had known her for a long while and somehow, she could always attract anyone to her. It actually wasn't much of a mystery. She was beautiful, smart, and enviably talented.

She was a bit of an enigma. No one knew quite everything about her even though her life was the talk of the town. People thought her mysterious personality was attractive. Mercedes found it annoying at times.

Things came to Scarlett easily. People gravitated to her like moths are drawn to light.

Mercedes lowered her eyes, her vision falling beneath their table. She could see Scarlett's slender white pinky wrapped tightly around James' bigger one.

"I guess I'll go get everyone some water," Mercedes mumbled, suddenly feeling defeated.

Blonde Jennifer shot up in her seat. "No worries. I'll do it," she objected with a saccharine smile. If her grin had been any sweeter, caramel would've leaked from her teeth. Before Mercedes could argue, Jennifer headed towards the bar with the other Jennifers following closely behind.

Scarlett cocked her head, her dark eyebrows furrowing in confusion. That was the nicest thing she had ever witnessed Blonde Jennifer do. Screw that, it was the first time Scarlett had seen Blonde Jennifer _being_ nice.

Scarlett shook her suspicious feelings; maybe Jennifer had been loosened up by the alcohol. Or maybe she had something up her sleeve...

"Hi," Blonde Jennifer chirped to the bartender. She perched on a barstool and leaned against the counter coolly. "Can I get five waters in glasses and one more, but mixed with a double shot of Grey Goose?"

The bartender shot her a strange look. The other Jennifers exchanged curious glances.

"I'm trying to have a drink without getting the worst hangover tomorrow morning," Blonde Jennifer explained, lying through her bleached-white teeth. "Put it on Arthur Griffin's tab, please." The bartender nodded and started getting the drinks ready.

"You've already had, like, two glasses," Dark-haired Jennifer pointed out. "I don't think mixing vodka with water is gonna help anything."

Blonde Jennifer rolled her eyes at the dimness of her friend. "It's not really for me, sweetie," she clarified. "It's for Scarlett. I wanna get the flaxen-haired floozy super smashed."

"Why?"

Blonde Jennifer sighed in frustration. "When she's drunk," she continued in a measured tone, "She tends to do some pretty dumb things." Jennifer lowered her voice. "I heard that during her tour, she crashed a car into a tree while intoxicated."

Curly-haired Jennifer gasped, her hand covering her tiny mouth. "Did she get hurt?"

Blonde Jennifer scoffed. "Does she look hurt to you?"

Their eyes all gravitated towards the table. Scarlett was aggressively flirting with James. It was blatantly obvious from the way she tossed her pale gold hair over her shoulder and batted her inky, long lashes from behind her lenses.

Dark-haired Jennifer pouted, her lower lip protruding. "She looks like a goddess, as usual," she mumbled. She picked at a run in her tights absentmindedly.

"Not for long," Blonde Jennifer laughed. The bartender had just finished getting the drinks, complete with tiny cubes of ice.

Jennifer took the tray and brought it back to their table, making sure to hand Scarlett the vodka-tainted glass.

"Thanks," Scarlett said, bringing the glass to her lips. She cringed at the water; she'd had so much vodka that night, everything tasted of it. She ignored it and gnawed on the ice cubes floating around in the glass. After a few more sips, she had begun to feel a bit woozy.

"Hey, are you alright?" James' concerned voice sounded echo-y within her head. His dark, shimmery eyes were burning into her.

"I'm fantastic!" Scarlett exclaimed hysterically. An old Fall Out Boy hit had begun to bubble out of the speakers, the heavy beat pulsing through the marble floors. "Wanna dance?" Scarlett ripped off her borrowed leather jacket and urged James out of his seat.

James shrugged; it didn't really seem like he had a choice. Scarlett all but shoved him onto the dance floor. The two buried themselves in the mass of gyrating bodies and got themselves lost in the crowd.

"_Dance, dance_," James sang in a high-pitched voice, "_We're falling apart to half time_!" Scarlett could feel _herself_ falling apart at double time. Images were blurring together in front of her eyes. She smiled widely and flicked her head around, masking the dread creeping into her.

A grin tugged on the corners of James' lips. Scarlett reminded him of a sparkler on the Fourth of July. She lit up the night with her spastic energy. Everyone wanted a piece of her. When someone started grinding up against Scarlett, all traces James' grin dissipated.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" James barked, yanking Scarlett away from the intruder. Scarlett's curls fell in front of her eyes and she glared at the person who stood before her. Then her cheeks paled to an inhuman shade of white.

A handsome, young man with long, golden locks wearing an irremovable smirk stared back. He was in a crisp dress shirt and was wielding a red SOLO cup half-full of beer.

"I'm just having some fun," he replied in an impossibly smooth voice. His eyes scanned over Scarlett's body in a way that made her feel violated. "You look...healthy. Nice glasses."

"You know this creep?" James spat, clenching his fists. Scarlett was holding him back and failing. She was so drunk, she could hardly _stand_ on her own, let alone hinder someone.

Brett pointed at James. "Is this your new boyfriend?" he pressed, smiling drunkenly. His leering gaze briefly shifted to the sandy-haired boy.

"Shut up, Brett," Scarlett hissed. Her words came out clumsy and slurred.

Brett ignored her. "You don't want to get involved with this one," Brett laughed, jerking his thumb in Scarlett's direction. "She's a great fuck, but she's also trouble." He narrowed his cold, blue eyes. "She's not worth it."

Brett's words cut into Scarlett like a knife. The last part of his comment was like someone had twisted it. Her eyes were starting to sting and people around her had started to stare.

Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, Scarlett turned on her her heel and high-tailed it out of there. She stumbled into a dark hallway outside the club doors, where the coats were hung. Scarlett's back pressed against the wall and she slid down until she hit the cold floor.

James, still inside the club, slowly approached Brett with a steely look in his eyes. Their faces were mere inches away, yet Brett didn't seem intimidated in the slightest by the taller boy.

"You're lucky there are all these people around," James sneered ominously. He shoved past the overly-smug boy and stormed out of the mob to search for Scarlett. Ducking into the coat-check hall, he shut the club doors behind him and was immediately engulfed in a sea of blackness.

James held his hand in front of his face. He couldn't see it. The sound of music was muffled by the solid concrete walls. "Scarlett...," James whispered impatiently. "Where are you?"

James jumped when he felt a tug on his pant leg. "I'm right here," Scarlett answered below. She pulled her knees to her chest as James sank down beside her and landed with a soft thud.

James made a sound of annoyance. "Gosh, why is it so dark in here?" He dug his hand into the back pocket of his dress pants, shining its dim light in the air. He aimed it towards Scarlett's face for a moment. Her lovely pale face was tinged red in mortification.

James sighed and crossed his lanky legs. He had the feeling he'd be there for a while; he might as well get cozy. "Whatever happened between you and that guy is none of my business. You don't have to explain anything."

Scarlett let out a shaky breath. James was a sweetheart when he wasn't being all suave or focusing on himself.

"We never slept together," Scarlett blurted out, "He's going around bragging to people that we did something that we didn't do and people are gonna believe him." Scarlett fiddled with the arm of her glasses.

James set his phone down between them. The soft glow illuminated both of their faces. James lifted up Scarlett's chin and asked, "What can I do to make you feel better?"

The alcohol in Scarlett's system was going to her head. The more intently she stared at James, the prettier his features seemed. His glittering eyes were more glittery, his rosy cheeks were rosier, and his lips..._oh_, _those lips_. They were so soft and pink and Scarlett couldn't help but let her mind wander about what they felt like.

"What are you thinking about?" James asked, bursting her thought bubble. The smile he was wearing made her heart beat fast. But maybe it was the alcohol...

"What it would be like to kiss you," Scarlett whispered, breathing in James' cologne.

James didn't seem the least bit caught off guard. He closed the gap between the two of them and pressed his lips against hers. It was gentle, and sweet, and...wow.

James broke away from her, his hand resting on her own. "So what did you think?" James asked playfully. "Did it live up to your expectations?"

Scarlett didn't say anything. Instead, she grabbed James by the back of the head and kissed him forcefully. And this time, it was anything but gentle.

Back in the club, Nova was searching for the teenagers, frustrated by her results. All but two had been located: James and Scarlett. Nova had called them both on their cells, but neither had picked up. Where the hell were they?

Scarlett's aunt went up to Logan, the first person she saw, and tapped him on the shoulder frantically. He turned around and blinked, startled.

"Uh, what's up?" he asked, frowning.

"Have you seen my niece or James around?" she asked. "I want to remind them that we're leaving in half an hour and I have no idea where they are." Her almond-shaped eyes were wide and panicked.

"I haven't seen them in a while," Logan admitted. When Nova grimaced, he added, "You want me to look around?"

"Ooh, that would be great!" Nova sighed happily, clasping her hands together. "If you see them, tell them to stay in my sight." Logan nodded and walked off. He glanced at his girlfriend, who was on the dance floor with Stephanie. He'd have to meet up with her later.

Logan knew James and Scarlett couldn't be on the dance floor. He and Camille had covered that whole area, never one bumping into them. They weren't at their booth, either. Logan decided to check out the hallway, partly to get away from the noise.

A second later, he was surrounded by complete darkness. Logan groaned and groped along the walls for a light switch. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a noise down the hall.

Turning his phone light on, Logan tentatively followed the sound. "Scarlett, are you in here?" he called out. "James?"

Logan heard a bit of scuffling and muttering before he got a response. "Yeah, um, it's James," a voice answered.

"Hold on, I think I found a light."

"Wait, no-"

Logan flipped a light switch on and was surprised to see James and Scarlett...together. Logan was no genius (well, he kind of was), but he didn't need to be one to deduce what had been going down just a second ago.

James' hair was ruffled beyond belief and his tie had been loosened. Their were hints of creamy red lipstick on his collar as well as a few buttons of his shirt undone. Scarlett dress had ridden up slightly, her glasses were askew, and the back of her dress was unzipped halfway down. They both looked sweaty and guilty.

"What the hell..." Logan trailed off. "Good Lord, how hard is it for you people to keep your hands off each other? You realize Gustavo could fire you over this?!"

James took a step towards his friend. "And who's going to tell him?" he asked, eyebrow cocked.

Logan clenched and unclenched his jaw. He was a total goody two-shoes, but he wasn't going to rat his friend out.

"Okay, who started this?" Logan asked wearily. Scarlett raised her hand sheepishly, her head down.

"I did, but I shouldn't have," she slurred, her legs wobbly.

Logan raised his eyebrows and shook his head at Scarlett's glassy-eyed expression. "My God, are you drunk?"

Scarlett look away. She felt ashamed, and dirty, and used. Not that it was all James' doing.

Logan pointed at James accusingly. "You took advantage of her," he said in a measured tone.

"No, he didn't!" Scarlett argued.

"I've had just as much to drink as she has," James insisted.

Logan took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, James, you need to head back into the club. Scarlett, you're going back to your house with Nova."

James shrugged in nonchalance and swaggered back into the club. The second he had left, Scarlett roughly grabbed Logan by the shoulders.

"You can't tell Nova about this!" Scarlett pleaded. "She'll kill me. Then she'll resuscitate me and kill me all over again!"

"That's not really possible," Logan pointed out, still in Scarlett's iron grip. "Besides, you have to tell her. She's your guardian."

Scarlett bit her lip. "Please don't make me feel worse," she huffed, letting go of Logan's jacket.

"Sorry. Look, do you want me to call you a cab or something?"

Scarlett buried her fingers in her platinum locks and threw her head back. "You know what, I'll just stay in the bathroom until I sober up."

"The bathroom. Really, you'd rather do that?"

"Yes, I would. I happen to like bathrooms very much."

"Oh, yeah, 'cause the smell is just _so_ enticing," Logan said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Scarlett folded her arms over her chest. "God, this is ridiculous!" she exclaimed. Her eyes were squeezed shut behind her glasses, her head facing the ceiling.

After a tense moment of silence, Logan said, "Look, I was planning on heading out anyway"-complete lie-"I'll take us both back to the Palm Woods."

"Fine," Scarlett agreed. "Let's just go." Scarlett hurried towards the back entrance and almost tripped over her own foot, careening forward. Logan charged forward, catching Scarlett around the waist before she fell. Scarlett clung to him desperately as he hoisted her upright...and into him.

"Uh...," Logan stammered, only letting go of Scarlett after a few moments. "Sorry...again."

Scarlett opened her mouth to say something and nothing came out. When Logan had pulled him towards her, she had almost thought that maybe, just maybe he had been about to kiss her. The way he had been staring into her eyes with that caring look in his eyes...

"Scarlett?" Logan said, waving a hand in front of her eyes. Scarlett blinked, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Do you want me to, uh...?"

"I can walk on my own, thank you," Scarlett replied briskly.

"Yeah, I could tell by the way you just tripped over your own foot two seconds ago." Logan snaked his arm around Scarlett's bitty waist and walked her outside through the back door.

The only lights outside were those of the flickering streetlights, the full moon, and the twinkling stars. Gravel crunched under Scarlett and Logan's shoes as they made their way to the red convertible.

"We're taking the Big-Time-Rush-Mobile?" Scarlett asked. "How are the others gonna get home?"

"Kelly will send a limo," Logan shrugged. He opened the passenger-seat door for Scarlett and circled around the car, getting into the driver's seat. "Have you got your seat belt on?"

Scarlett rolled her eyes. She reached for the buckle and pulled it over her body. Being that her vision was a bit impaired, she was having a hard time getting the buckle in.

"Let me," Logan offered exasperatedly, leaning over. Scarlett's fingers tingled as Logan took the seat belt from her and buckled her in securely. He quickly shot a text to James to tell the others they had left.

Logan ignited the engine of the convertible and pulled out of the club parking lot. Scarlett absently wound a thick strand of dyed black hair around her ring-clad index finger.

When they rolled to their first stoplight, Logan broke the deafening silence. "Why did you have to hook up with James, of all people?" he asked finally.

Scarlett didn't even know the answer to that one herself. She had let her drinking get out of control and one thing led to another...it wasn't her fault, really. Kind of.

"Nothing was going to happen," Scarlett assured him.

"Oh, really? I know James, and if I hadn't shown up, he would've-"

"I don't want to talk about this." Scarlett shifted to face the open window. The stoplight turned green and Logan gently nudged the gas pedal, speeding forward. The brisk wind whipped Scarlett's platinum-blond around her face. Every few minutes, Logan would sneak a brief glimpse at her hardened features and look away when he remembered they were hardened by him.

The sky was even darker when the two arrived back at the Palm Woods. Logan held on to Scarlett to steady her as they ambled into the hotel. At the front desk, Bitters was in his blue-and-white striped pajamas, complete with a nightcap. His cheek was laying on the keyboard in front of his computer monitor and a bit of drool was leaking out the side of the mouth that had been left ajar.

"That's attractive," Scarlett muttered sarcastically. Logan bit back a chuckle.

The lobby was totally empty, free of the teenagers and tweens that normally littered the place. It was kind of nice. Chaos was the last thing Scarlett needed right then.

She and Logan got into the elevator. Logan was just about to press the third floor button when his finger froze.

"Do you have your room key with you?" he asked, his eyes flickering to Scarlett. She quickly checked the pockets of her dress and let out a groan.

"I left my purse at the club," she uttered slowly, covering her face with a palm.

Logan's hand went to the back of his neck. "Um...Okay, we'll just hang in 2J for a while, then," he decided, biting his lip. He held down the second floor button and stared up at the ceiling. He could feel Scarlett's eyes on him, but he wouldn't meet her gaze.

After what felt like an eternity, the elevator doors finally parted. Logan led Scarlett into 2J, holding the front door open for her. He flipped the lights on to reveal the silent, empty apartment.

"Looks like Mrs. Knight and Katie have gone to bed," Scarlett remarked with a curious glint in her green orbs. She perched down on the arm of the orange couch. "Guess we have the apartment to ourselves."

Logan could have laughed at the irony of their situation. He had envisioned himself going home with a girl, just for a different reason. And with a different girl.

"I'll be back with a glass of water," Logan announced. Scarlett watched him vanish into the kitchen.

Opening the refrigerator, Logan reached inside and grabbed the handle of a pitcher of water. He couldn't stop seeing James, one of his best friends, and Scarlett, the ex that had popped back into his life, together. He was over Scarlett, obviously, so why was it such a big deal to him that they had hooked up? It wasn't even his job he was concerned about. Something else was eating away at him.

Logan stepped back into the living room, cup in hand. Scarlett was no longer on the couch.

"I'm in here," Scarlett called out from down the hall. Logan walked over and found the blonde in the bedroom he and Kendall shared. She was holding a small picture frame in her hands. Enclosed, their was a photograph of Logan and Camille. They were sharing a cone of cotton candy at a carnival, staring lovingly into each other's eyes.

Scarlett felt a familiar twinge in her stomach. She'd never taken a photo of she and Logan when they had been together.

"Cute picture," Scarlett commented insincerely, placing the frame back onto its place on Logan's dresser. She trudged past Logan and sat down on his comforter. She crossed her silky smooth legs, blinking at Logan expectantly.

He handed her the cup of water, awkwardly standing in the middle of the room.

Scarlett's red lips twitched with mirth. "You wanna maybe sit down?" she asked teasingly.

Logan gingerly sat down on the mattress across from her, Kendall's bed. Scarlett looked annoyed. "What, you can't sit next to me?" she snapped. Then she added playfully, "Afraid I'll come on to you?"

"I'm fine right here, thanks," Logan replied, unbuttoning his sports coat. He pulled it off laboriously, left in his tucked-in dress shirt.

Scarlett shrugged and hopped off of the mattress. "Whatever floats your boat," she sighed. Her eyes wandered around the tiny bedroom. She smirked at Logan's side of the room. It was tidy, clean, and the crazy organization was bordering on OCD. At times, Scarlett wished her life could be like that: orderly and arranged. Instead, she had a mess of broken, scattered pieces.

Logan grasped the untouched cup of water Scarlett had left on his bedside table and swallowed down a swig. He observed Scarlett closely from behind the glass. Her wide-eyed look reminded Logan of a child let loose in a candy store. If he wasn't so pissed off at her, he would've smiled.

"Have you ever had sex?"

Logan nearly choked on his sip of water. Close to hacking up his lungs, Logan exclaimed in a strangled voice:

"What?!"

Scarlett wasn't sure what had prompted her to ask that question. It had just popped out of her mouth before it could be stopped. Not that she wasn't dying to know.

"With Camille, I mean," Scarlett clarified.

Logan's face reddened, as well as his neck, and, well, everywhere else. "W-why is that any of your business?"

The ends of Scarlett's lips curled devilishly. "You know, when someone answers a question with another one, it means they don't want to reply."

"Yeah, well, when someone asks you a nosy, inappropriate question, you tend to not want to answer it," Logan countered.

Scarlett grinned, nodding understandingly. "You're right, I get it. Sorry."

Logan raised his glass and took another sip. Scarlett settled down beside Logan, causing the mattress springs to squeak under her weight. Their knees touched together unconsciously.

"You're gonna have the worst hangover tomorrow," Logan chuckled, resting his head on the wall behind him.

Scarlett groaned dramatically and fell back onto Kendall's navy-blue and plaid bed sheets. "I know!" she laughed dryly. Scarlett shook her head. "Logan...I'm sorry about ruining your night," she added seriously. "I'm not usually this bad."

"I wasn't having much fun anyway," Logan confessed, staring out his bedroom window. How could he have? He had spent the majority of his night babysitting his slightly immature group of friends. Camille had been the only highlight of his night.

"You need to let loose once in a while," Scarlett advised. She kicked her legs into the air, her shoes flying across the room and landing on Logan's bed. "Have a bit of fun. It's your job as a teen."

Logan snorted. "If I let loose, all hell breaks loose. Someone has to be there to keep the other guys in check."

"It shouldn't have to be you."

"If I don't do it, who will?" Logan retorted.

"You know, I bet that's what Camille likes so much about you," Scarlett murmured sleepily. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Mitchell."

Logan didn't say anything. It was hard to distinguish whether Scarlett was being facetious or not when she was so wasted. He took another sip of water from his bedside table and nodded along.

"I remember when we first met, I thought you were a total smart-ass," Scarlett giggled.

Logan couldn't distinguish whether he was angered or amused by this. "What?! Why?"

"You just had that vibe about you," Scarlett explained, like it was no big deal.

"Yeah, well, my first impression of you wasn't all that nice, either," Logan said challengingly.

Scarlett raised her eyebrows in interest and she sat up straight. "Oh?"

"From the start, you never seemed to want to follow the rules," Logan continued, "You tried so hard to be a badass." Not that she had to try.

"You know you all loved it," Scarlett teased. "Besides, it's not like you didn't get annoying sometimes, knowing all the right answers all the time...although, I admit, I thought it was kind of hot." After a pause, she added, "I still do."

Logan felt his face burn when her words fully registered. "Um..."

"I remember the first time you and I really talked, like _really_ talked," Scarlett went on, averting her eyes. "You smiled this shy, crooked grin and I just thought, 'God, I want to kiss him'."

Logan tried to swallow and found his throat had gone dry. He looked down at his hands to find that they were shaking. How could she make him so nervous? "Can we not talk about—"

"Logan, I really want to kiss you right now," Scarlett whispered. She put her hand over Logan's and the shaking stopped.

And then she passed out.

Logan sat there frozen and stared at Scarlett's limp body on Kendall's Spider-Man blanket. He realized his hand was still in her own and yanked himself away.

"She didn't mean that, she didn't," Logan said to himself, backing away from Kendall's bed.

Could she have meant it? Drunken words were sober feelings, right? Logan mentally pinched himself and shook the silly thought out of his head.

Still, the possibility that a part of Scarlett (even if it was the drunken part) still had feelings for him made Logan weirdly giddy.

Logan nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing the front door slam open.

"Hey, Logie! We're back!" shouted Kendall from the living room. He tossed his jangling keys onto the neon-orange couch. James and Carlos nearly trampled him to get to the television remote.

"Where's Logan?" Camille asked, ducking under Kendall's arm to enter the room. Stephanie and Lucy followed in suit.

On cue, Logan waltzed into the living room. He smiled as Camille's face lit up. He took her hand in his and pressed a kiss against her cheek. She buried her face in his shoulder.

"How come you left early?" she murmured. "We could have left together, maybe hung out at my apartment."

"Sorry," he apologized, wrapping his arm around her, "Scarlett really wanted to leave. She conked out the moment her head hit the pillow." He knew it was a lie, but he wanted to avoid getting anyone in to trouble. Mainly himself.

Camille tried not to look suspicious or annoyed, but she knew her face was probably betraying her. The thought of her boyfriend and his ex together just made her a bit peeved.

"Where is the party princess anyway?" Lucy asked, turning to Logan. He pointed down the hall towards his room.

"Back in a sec." Lucy took off in the direction of Logan's finger.

She exited the bedroom a second later with a hammered Scarlett slung over her shoulder. "Where are we going?" Scarlett mumbled sleepily.

"Don't worry, you'll be back in bed soon," Lucy grunted, struggling under Scarlett's weight.

Kendall turned away from the TV. "You're leaving?" he asked. He sounded disappointed.

"Scarlett's basically dead, so we should really head out," she yawned. When she saw Kendall's smile turn into a grimace, she added, "We should hang tomorrow, though."

Kendall nodded enthusiastically, leaping off of the couch and across the room. He pulled open the front door and grinned as Lucy made her way out. When he shut the door, James started laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" Stephanie piped up, confused. She fiddled with the cast of Carlos' crippled leg in her lap.

James wiped a tear from his eye. "Dude, just ask her out already!" he laughed, shaking Kendall's shoulders. "Seriously, or I'll do it for you."

"I will," Kendall claimed unconvincingly, "...in time."

"'In time' means 'never'," Logan whispered to Camille. She snickered, shaking her head.

Camille's phone buzzed in her purse. She pulled away from Logan and fished her cell out of her bag, scanning over the new text.

"I should get going," she announced suddenly, "I've got an audition early tomorrow morning." She gave Logan a tiny peck on the cheek and squeezed his hand. "See ya," she whispered, walking herself to the door.

"Right," Logan replied distractedly. His head was engulfed with the possible scenarios that might unfold the next day. Would Scarlett remember anything she had said? Would it change things between them?

He wouldn't admit it, but he was kind of hoping it would.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! I loved writing this chapter. I apologize sincerely for the long wait. I've been having flash drive trouble and a bunch of my fanfiction stuff was deleted. I'll try to update more quickly, I promise :)**


	10. Chapter 10: The Hangover Part III

**A/N: Just wanted to write a quick thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter and the one previous to that. And everyone else. Thanks for reading :D**

**Chapter 10: The Hangover Part III**

Scarlett was awoken by a glittering stream of sunshine coming through the blinds of her window. The songbirds were chirping, the clouds were full like cotton balls, and, if you listened closely, you could hear little children laughing.

And it was pissing Scarlett off.

"Somebody shoot those damn birds!" she growled, pressing a pillow over her face.

Her head was hurting like an anvil had been hurled at it and everything sounded as if it were screaming directly at her. Her mouth was drier than the Sahara and every noise was amplified to the max. Hangovers were _not _fun.

At that very moment, Lucy strolled past the bedroom door. She, unlike Scarlett, was already up and at 'em. She backtracked a couple of steps and peeked in. "Look who's finally awake," she muttered. She jammed her fists into her pockets and walked in, plopping carelessly onto the end of Scarlett's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." Scarlett rolled over on her comforter and squinted blindly. She cringed, sticking her tongue out. "The inside of my mouth tastes like I just licked the inside of a grave. And maybe ordered a side of roadkill with it." She paused and glanced up at Lucy. "I'm guessing you know—"

Lucy wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Yeah, that's why I don't drink," Lucy claimed, and promptly added, "And, uh, gross? TMI." She shifted away slightly.

"Sorry. Ugh, what did I do last night?" Scarlett looked down and realized she was still stuck in her party attire. A memory of she and James suddenly flashed before her eyes. She could vaguely remember the two of them in a heated make-out session that had been interrupted by...someone. She couldn't recall who.

A wave of nausea hit Scarlett like a ton of bricks. "Oh, God...," she mumbled, stumbling out of her sheets and stepping on Lucy's toes. She raced out of the room and collapsed in front of the porcelain toilet bowl next door. She coughed uncontrollably, breathing raggedly.

Her stomach emptied into the toilet. The rank stench stung her nose and she retched once more.

"You done?" Lucy asked outside of the door.

Scarlett flushed the toilet. "Yeah, I think so." Lucy pushed open the door and handed Scarlett a glass of water.

Scarlett swallowed greedily until she reached the bottom of the cup. Then she spat into the sink. "Ugh, don't look at me," Scarlett whined, turning away, "I'm disgusting." She clutched the edge of the sink and heaved herself up to face the mirror.

Her horn-rimmed glasses were askew on the bridge of her nose, doing little to mask the dark circles underlining her eyes. Her hair was in an extremely bed-head state and her dress was wrinkled and creased beyond recognition. Her makeup was smudged and messy. She grabbed a comb and a makeup pad to do some damage control.

Scarlett gasped unexpectedly. "Holy crap, what time is it?" she asked fearfully.

Lucy frowned and pulled her phone from her pocket. "Uh, a little after nine. Why?"

"And the day?"

"It's Monday...?"

A squeak escaped from Scarlett's throat. "Holy shit!" she shrieked hysterically, her voiced getting scratchy. "Today is my first day of work! Why didn't you wake me?"

"Scarlett, you're in no state to work today," Lucy lectured in her _let's-be-honest_ voice. "Kendall called Gustavo earlier and I called your aunt." After seeing Scarlett's alarmed look, she added, "Don't worry, we told them that you were having severe cramps. No need to thank me."

"Thank you?!" Scarlett exclaimed. "Why the hell should I _thank_ you? You should have kicked me out of bed and forced me out of the apartment!"

Scarlett brushed past the girl and back into her room. Her blood sloshed inside of her heavy head like soup. She yanked open her dresser drawers violently, tossing clothes around in a panic.

"Look, I'm sorry," Lucy sighed, leaning up against the bedroom door that had been thrown open. "James told me you got really drunk yesterday and it wouldn't be very professional to show up to work hungover." Scarlett groaned loudly and squeezed on the bridge of her nose. She wondered who else knew.

"Great, now _everyone_ knows what a drunken harlot I am," she grumbled sadly.

Lucy shook her head. Everything she was saying was making things worse, so she gave in. "I'll go grab you some breakfast." She trudged away, her combat boots clomping in defeat.

Scarlett slipped out of her dress, left in her underwear. She wearily adjusted the cracked mirror above her white-painted bureau. Scarlett peered closer and noticed a purplish-black bruise gracing her collarbone.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Scarlett hissed, her fingers grazing the blemish. "No, no, no, no, no..." Scarlett plucked a tube of concealer from the pile of makeup products on her wardrobe and squeezed out a droplet, rubbing aggressively over the mark. _Crisis averted_, she thought.

Thinking about how far she could have gone with James was making her feel sick all over again. Why she had kissed him in the first place was beyond her. James was a lovely boy, but she wasn't really attracted to him. Whenever they spoke, half the time James was flirting with her. Not that the flirting wasn't nice…

Scarlett threw on some clothes hurriedly and slipped her feet into a pair of scuffed loafers. She then smeared some roll-on deodorant under her arms, spritzed herself with Chanel No. 5, and applied her signature red lipstick to her mouth.

Lucy poked back into the room with a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, knocking hesitantly on the open door. Scarlett glanced up in surprise.

"Wow, did you make that?" Scarlett asked, caught off-guard.

Lucy scoffed obnoxiously. "Please, you know I can't cook," she snorted. "Kendall brought it over." At this, Scarlett smiled widely. "What?" Lucy asked, annoyed.

"He is totally in love with you," Scarlett blurted out. "How do you not see it?"

Lucy felt a sea of red invade her cheeks. "If Kendall loved me, don't you think he would have asked me out by now?"

Scarlett shrugged, snatching the plate of breakfast from Lucy. She nibbled on a couple strips of bacon and felt the nausea crawling back up her throat.

Hangovers were a bitch.

"I think I'll just take some Advil," she decided, pushing the plate away. She and Lucy padded their way to the kitchen. While Lucy put the untouched breakfast back into the oven, Scarlett fetched some pills from the medicine cabinet.

Scarlett swigged the Advil down with a cup of OJ on the kitchen table and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "Okay, I gotta go," Scarlett announced curtly. She grabbed her Aztec-print backpack from the chair it was sitting in and slung it over her shoulder, got out of the kitchen, and skipped down the stairs.

"Wait!" Lucy called from the top of the staircase. "Do you want me to call you a cab?"

Scarlett shook her head. "Don't have time for that." She fished her Lolita shades out of her knapsack and traded them with her prescription frames. "See you later."

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

"Yesterday was a complete disaster!" Gustavo Rocque bellowed. His pillowy arms were firmly crossed over the zipper of his velour tracksuit and his beady little eyes were slits. He was _mad_.

Kendall, Logan, Carlos, and James were seated in front of Gustavo's office desk, being berated by their boss for the third time that week. Kelly stood in the corner with plugs in her ears. She would nod along every so often when Gustavo looked to her for an agreement, not actually entirely sure what she was agreeing to. Being Gustavo's assistant was hard work.

"You didn't even end up performing and Carlos broke his ankle! All of the choreo we've rehearsed will have to be readjusted," Gustavo continued angrily, waving a scary-scarp pencil at the boys. Kendall cringed as sprinkles of Gustavo spit speckled his face.

Carlos raised his hand tentatively. "Uh, actually, I _sprained_ my ankle." Gustavo grunted, the pencil in his hands snapping like a twig.

"Keep talking and I'll break it myself!" Gustavo spat.

Carlos recoiled; he zipped his lips and tossed the imaginary key over his shoulder. Kendall pretended to catch it and stuffed the key into his pocket. Logan took the nonexistent key out and pretended to swallow it, smiling proudly. When he started fake-choking, James fake-whacked him on the back until Logan fake-spat it out. Kelly rolled her eyes from the corner.

Just as Gustavo opened his mouth to resume his verbal abuse of Big Time Rush, Scarlett burst through the doors, looking a bit less composed than usual.

Scarlett's cheeks were flushed red and her forehead was glistening with a sheen of perspiration. A blonde- black curl had fallen over her face, covering one of her eyes. Her ripped pantyhose-clad legs were buckling in exhaustion. Yet she looked incredible.

The button-up blouse she had paired with destroyed cutoffs and a pastel pink blazer was pasted uncomfortably to her sweaty skin. Her scuffed loafers now seemed even more scuffed.

"I'm...sorry...late...sick...sorry," she said between pants. Her fingers were tightly wrapped around the doorknob, the only thing holding her up. She pulled off her shades and pushed her glasses on. "Oh, God..."

Kelly quickly dropped her clipboard, reaching for Scarlett before she collapsed on the carpet. "Someone get her some water, please!"

Carlos hopped out of his seat; he was obviously eager to avoid another earful from his boss. James pulled up a chair and positioned it under Scarlett.

"Geez, did you run here?" Gustavo asked, frowning and looking the girl over.

She nodded enthusiastically. "I hadn't...realized...it was...so far away," she replied, her hand over her rapidly-pounding heart. "Just needed to get here quickly."

"Kendall told me you were having severe cramps," Gustavo sneered, lip curled. Scarlett shot Kendall a look; he shrugged back at her.

"That's what pain meds are for?" she replied uncertainly. Gustavo muttered something incomprehensible under his breath.

Carlos walked back in with a Dixie cup full of cold spring water in hand. He handed it over to Scarlett, who could have devoured it, cup and all.

"Are you okay?" the words left James' and Kendall's mouths at the exact same time.

Scarlett nodded. "Yeah, no, I'm fine," she sighed, fanning herself with her hand.

Logan's eyes narrowed at Scarlett. "Your knee is bleeding." Their eyes met and Scarlett instantly remembered who had interrupted her and James. She also remembered saying something really stupid…

Everyone in the room looked down at her leg. There was a tear in her tights at the knee and it was, in fact, bleeding. During her run, Scarlett must have fallen and gotten scraped up badly.

Scarlett crossed her legs to cover the wound. "I'm fine, really," she claimed breathlessly, looking away from Logan. She faced Gustavo. "And Gustavo, I'm soooo sorry."

Gustavo cracked a smile. "Sorry? What for? I'm just sorry you weren't here earlier so I could congratulate you."

Scarlett cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Wait, what?"

"I saw your impromptu performance at the club last night on SchmoopTube. It didn't completely suck," Gustavo explained, turning his laptop towards her. Under a video titled "Scarlett Browning: Comeback Kid!" there were several comments left by teenagers who had seen Scarlett's performance. The video had already garnered more than 200,000 views and the number was still rising.

"Look at the highest-rated comment," Carlos ordered, crouching close to the laptop. Everyone huddled around the screen.

Carlos read, "'Few young artists can carry off acoustic sessions-she kills it in this video! Her lyrics are extraordinary for someone so young'." He smiled cheerfully, squeezing Scarlett's shoulder.

Scarlett tried to stifle her prideful grin. Inside, she was bouncing from wall to wall. She scrolled down the computer screen and scanned over some other comments. Some were sweet, some were ugly. At least people were watching.

Gustavo pulled his laptop away and snapped it shut, causing the whole room to flinch. "Okay, enough with the fun, it's time for work," he bellowed. He lowered his sunglasses from the top of his nearly-bald head to over his eyes. "Dawgs!" he hollered, "Into the studio. NOW!"

The boys didn't have to be told twice. They scrambled out of their boss's office, tripping over each other. Scarlett and Kelly followed closely behind. Kelly glanced over at the blonde.

"So do you think you're ready to sign with us?" she requested curiously, brown eyes wide.

Scarlett nodded. "Yeah, I think I'd like that." She surprised at the certainty of her own voice.

For the rest of her time at Rocque Records that day, Scarlett observed Big Time Rush rehearsing their songs, dancing their asses off, and writing new music with a begrudging Gustavo. Even with their constant goofing off and immaturity, they somehow managed to get work done under the guidance of their boss. Scarlett was beginning to see why the boys looked up to Gustavo.

Around noon, Kelly sent James and Scarlett to grab some coffee for their break while she left to pick up their Subway order. They found themselves in the break room filling biodegradable foam cups in silence.

"Scarlett-"

"James-"

Both names came out of their mouths at the same time. They laughed uncomfortably; they hadn't actually spoken since the night before. James' fingers combed through his shaggy, sandy hair.

"You go first," Scarlett encouraged gently, grabbing a fistful of skinny brown straws. She knew she was avoiding his eyes, but she couldn't help it. It seemed like James was having the same trouble.

James wasn't used to feeling uneasy or awkward. The Diamond Charm wasn't just something you could simply turn off. It was his default setting.

"I just, um...,"James began clumsily. He seemed very interested in the faded coffee stain on the marble counter. "I wanted to apologize for what happened last night. I don't want you thinking that I'm a sleazy guy or something..."

Scarlett blinked at him in surprise. She hadn't been expecting that at all. And everybody kind of thought James was a man-whore anyway. No offense.

"You have nothing to apologize for," she assured him, touching his muscular arm. "I can't consider it taking advantage if I instigated it. And I told you to kiss me."

"Kissing you wasn't all that bad, to be honest," James admitted, flashing his winning smile.

"Every girl wants to hear that one day," Scarlett giggled sarcastically. James grabbed a drink-holding tray and stuck the filled cups into the spaces. "So, uh, does anybody know about the events of last night? You know, besides me, you, and Logan? And I guess Lucy?"

"No, don't worry," James said calmly. "And Lucy only knows that you were drunk, nothing else. Did your aunt find out?"

Scarlett shook her head. She felt horrible about Nova being in the dark on, well, everything. It was best that she didn't know, though.

"Did Logan say anything to you? About yesterday, I mean?" Scarlett tried her best to remain nonchalant.

James frowned, a crease appearing between his eyebrows. "No…," he answered, cocking his head. "Did something happen with you two?"

"Nope, just a question."

Scarlett could feel James' arm bumping against her own comfortingly. She didn't mind the way they were always tip-toeing around the boundaries of friends and more-than-friends.

As they walked back to the studio, this time in a comfortable silence, Scarlett stared at their feet in comparison. James' were bigger, and he was wearing shiny new Supras. Scarlett's feet were smaller and clad in her old Michael Kors loafers. While the physical difference was blatantly apparent, they stepped in sync, their strides the same.

"You know," Scarlett piped up, "I almost thought that you were gonna, like, confess your true love for me back there."

James stared at Scarlett incredulously before bursting into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Where on earth did you get that idea?" His dark eyes were sparkling, like they always did when he was really happy. His dazzling teeth peeked through his parted pink lips.

Scarlett shrugged, and the tray she was carrying shook. "I have no freaking idea," she laughed, shaking her head. "I must have been really drunk last night."

James seemed to have moved past that subject. He was now gazing steadily at Scarlett's curly head. "I really like your haircut. It reminds me of you last summer," he mused, taking a lock of midnight black hair between his fingers. Scarlett didn't mind. "Curls suit you."

Scarlett smiled inwardly; she thought so, too. After a beat, she asked, "Would you tell Logan something for me?"

James frowned. "What?"

"Tell him…," Scarlett began, choosing her words carefully, "Tell him 'I didn't mean it'."

James' frown deepened. "Huh?"

"Just tell him, okay?"

"…Okay."

**BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR**

The next day, Kelly sent the guys (as well as Scarlett) to the gym. It was part of BTR's weekly routine, a part that they quite enjoyed. Gustavo avoided any form of fitness like the plague, so the boys were free to do as they pleased without constantly being screamed at. Another perk of going to the gym was flirting with the abundance of hot chicks in yoga shorts and cropped tops.

The weekly gym session also happened to be one of the only times Logan and Camille ever got to see each other. Camille had to stay in shape for the show she was filming, so she had her manager book a session at the same time BTR had their own. Unfortunately for all other gym-goers, Logan and Camille couldn't bear to keep their hands off of each other for very long.

Let's just say it's hard to concentrate on exercising when there is a sex-starved couple making out beside you.

Scarlett stepped off of her treadmill after running for a few laps, suddenly disinterested. She glanced around for a companion, yet it appeared that everyone was preoccupied. Kendall was working with BTR's personal trainer (responsible), Kendall and Carlos were flirting up some girls (typical), and Logan and Camille were perfecting their Downward Dogs in a private yoga class that Camille had, no doubt, forced her boyfriend into. Scarlett was left on her own.

The blonde jogged to the vending machine on the opposite wall and dug through her gym bag for a dollar. There was a foil-wrapped package of strawberry-flavored Pop-Tarts calling her name.

"Come on, I know you're in there," Scarlett muttered, scraping the bottom of her drawstring sack for some money.

"Stuck for cash?"

Scarlett's head snapped up when she heard the voice. She was delighted to meet the gaze of an old friend.

"Dak Zevon, how are you?" Scarlett asked enthusiastically. "I've missed you." As always, Dak was looking picture-perfect. Even after an intense workout, his highlighted hair was perfectly in place. He wore the warm, boyish-cute smile that graced almost every issue of PopTiger.

Scarlett had met Dak through Mercedes, back when Scarlett was still a young, wide-eyed dreamer from New York and Dak was still a virtually-unknown, small-town boy destined to be a star. Mercedes had arranged a blind date for the two at one of the swankiest restaurants in LA. It had been one of the most awkward, uncomfortable moments they had ever experienced. In the end, they had ditched the snooty eatery and bonded over cheeseburgers in the parking lot of In-N-Out Burger. It had been the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"I'd hug you, but I'm all sweaty," Dak apologized, his lips curling around the edges. His pale eyes studied Scarlett carefully.

"I don't mind," Scarlett insisted. Dak wrapped his strong arms around Scarlett's waist, squeezing her tightly. Scarlett breathed in the smell drenched in his t-shirt. Sweat, sweat, and more sweat.

"Okay, I changed my mind," Scarlett gagged, trying not to laugh. "What did you roll around in?"

Scarlett squirmed, but Dak refused to end the embrace. "Breathe in my manly odor!" he chuckled. His iron grip on her tightened. It wasn't until Scarlett stepped on his toes that he let go of her.

Scarlett socked Dak in the arm with all of the force of a bunny rabbit. "You owe me some Pop-Tarts," Scarlett teased, poking Dak in the chest with her finger.

Dak agreed to buy Scarlett a package and she gladly agreed to let him have the second one. Scarlett started picking the crust away. She believed the only good part was the filling.

"You look great, by the way," Dak added, scarfing his Pop-Tart like he hadn't eaten in days. "Incredible, actually."

Scarlett shrugged humbly. "You look better," she argued, patting his solid six-pack approvingly.

Dak grinned good-naturedly. As a result, a group of tweenage girls ogling them a few feet away fainted.

"I only look this way 'cause I'm bulking up for a movie." Dak was playing the son of Superman in an action flick coming out sometime the next summer. "Which reminds me, I have a music video that's being released in a couple of weeks-"

Scarlett cocked a blonde eyebrow. "Okay, now you're just bragging."

"I was actually going to ask if you would costar in it as my love interest," Dak finished, biting back his smile.

A blush crept along Scarlett's collarbone. "Oh...right. I knew that," she lied unconvincingly. "I'm flattered, but-"

"But..."

"But I'm going to be pretty busy for a while. I just started at Rocque Records and the job is going to be pretty demanding." When Dak looked skeptical, Scarlett hastily added, "Plus, you know I can't act. Remember that time on the set of your show?"

Dak had once invited Scarlett to audition for a part on the popular "zom-rom-com" (zombie-romantic-comedy) sitcom, _Feeling Alive_. Let's just say she had been forcibly thrown out of the television studio before she'd even gotten the chance to reach the end of her script.

Dak didn't reply. He was peering over Scarlett's shoulder to see a cute, petite girl with tiny ringlets framing her heart-shaped face heading their way. She was accompanied by her boyfriend, Logan, who Dak failed to notice. Camille stopped beside Scarlett to set down her Adidas gym bag.

"Hey!" she chirped brightly. Her yoga class had just split for a five-minute break and she had a hankering for a Fiber-One bar. "Got bored of that treadmill, Scarlett?"

Scarlett tried not to cringe. She couldn't understand how a person could be so chipper so early in the morning.

Scarlett pushed her hair behind her ear. "I prefer running someplace to running _in _place." Scarlett stepped away. "You wanted to get something from the vending machine?"

Camille's eyes widened. "Right!" she replied, forking a bill out of her wallet.

Dak had not stopped gazing at Camille. She was wearing a purple Under Armour sports bra with a pair of Victoria's Secret yoga shorts that left very little to the imagination, especially now that she was bent in front of the snack machine. Logan narrowed his eyes at Dak.

Dak cocked his head to the side, his curiosity piqued. This girl-with her almond-shaped eyes, her lightly-tanned skin, and her glossy, espresso-dark curls-could have been a model. Not to mention that tight, compact body of hers. "Uh, Scarlett, who's your friend?"

"She's my girlfriend," Logan announced, stepping forward. His tiny nostrils were flared furiously and his chest was puffed out ridiculously. His normally-warm brown eyes were pinched and vain. A very un-Logan-like glower was pointed directly at Dak, who hadn't appeared to have heard him.

Scarlett frowned at Logan's steely features. Was he actually feeling threatened? Then again, what boyfriend wouldn't? Dak was suave, handsome, and wealthy—the whole package. And he was sweet to boot.

Camille's head jerked upwards and she blinked at Dak like she hadn't realized he'd been standing there the whole time. "Omigosh, you're Dak Zevon!" she breathed, starstruck.

Dak stuck his hand out for Camille to shake. "And I just recognized who you are. The cute vampire on New Town High." A pink flush faintly appeared on Camille's cheeks.

Logan's eye twitched unnervingly when Dak uttered the word 'cute'. Camille's giggles reverberated off of the gym walls, stabbing into Logan like knives.

"I'm Camille Roberts," she said confidently. Apparently, she had regained her composure.

Scarlett's suspicious eyes flitted from an overly-flirty Dak to a swooning Camille and soon, a wickedly selfish idea had fully hatched in her head. "Hey," she announced, "I bet Camille would love to be in your music video." Logan seemed horrified by this suggestion.

Camille looked bewildered. "I'm shooting a music video for 'Celebrate' this week and I still need a love interest," Dak clarified, much to Logan's dismay. "You game?"

Camille could have jumped out of her skin. "I would be honored," she admitted breathlessly. A pathetic squeak left Logan's throat.

Dak retrieved a business card from his wallet and pressed it into Camille's limp palm.

"Call me," he ordered, grinning. He pressed a quick kiss to Scarlett's cheek and said goodbye. Even when he brushed past Logan, the raven-haired boy just stood there, dumbfounded.

Was it wrong for Scarlett to essentially set up a single, attractive teen idol with a girl who was in a relationship with her ex, Logan, just to spite him? Maybe. Scarlett almost felt bad when she saw Camille squealing ecstatically and gripping her boyfriend's shoulders while he feebly smiled. She almost felt bad about the bitter feelings she still harbored towards Logan.

But then Scarlett saw the fateful summer from the last year flash before her eyes and the feelings of sympathy vanished. Logan had apologized so many times, yet Scarlett had never received an explanation as to why he had done what he had done.

Had he ever loved Scarlett at all? Was Camille simply better than her? Was Scarlett overreacting to the whole thing? There were so many gaps, so many things left unsaid.

It hurt Scarlett's head too much to think about, so she turned away and hopped back onto the treadmill.

**A/N: The next chapter will be up soon. Promise.**


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